Retrieval of spruce leaf chlorophyll content from airborne image data using continuum removal and radiative transfer

► Accurate retrieval of spruce leaf chlorophyll content from airborne spectral images. ► Combination of PROSPECT-DART radiative transfer models with continuum removal. ► New leaf chlorophyll estimating optical index termed ANCB650-720. ► Performance of ANCB650-720 comparable to neural network and other optical indices. ► Potential to validate chlorophyll satellite maps of coarser spatial resolution.