Optical characteristics of Douglas fir at various densities, grain directions and thicknesses investigated by near-infrared spatially resolved spectroscopy (NIR-SRS)

Abstract

Abstract A near-infrared spatially resolved spectroscopy (NIR-SRS) system, also called the hyperspectral imaging system, was applied in a line scanning model combined with a concentrated halogen light source (Ø 1 mm), and spatially resolved reflectance images of Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] wood were obtained. The samples with various densities, grain directions and thicknesses were observed in the NIR range of 1000–1600 nm. Then, a nonlinear curve-fitting algorithm was applied based on the steady-state diffusion theory model to estimate the absorption coefficient (μa ), and reduced scattering coefficients ( μ ′ s ${\mu '_s}$ ) both parallel and perpendicular to the grain direction at each measurement position. The absorption scattering coefficients at 1457 nm and two kinds of reduced scattering coefficients at 1002 nm were highly correlated with wood densities measured by an X-ray densitometer. The correlation coefficients were 0.953 and 0.987 for 3 mm and 5 mm samples, respectively, while three optical profiles were combined. It can be concluded that NIR-SRS is a fast and simple method for measuring the optical characteristics of softwood, although it has a non-homogeneous cellular structure. Sub-surface density and grain direction could be predicted with satisfactory accuracy based on a few key wavelengths without relying on multivariate statistical analysis.