Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Williams, D. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Williams, D. L..

At least 55 records · Page 3

A canopy-related stratification of a southern pine forest using LANDSAT digital data

An investigation was undertaken to determine if a consistent stratification of a Southern pine forest could be obtained by using LANDSAT multispectral scanner data to assess crown closure. Winter and summer LANDSAT scenes of the North Carolina coastal region were analyzed individually and then registered and merged to take advantage of temporal changes in the forest canopy. Three levels of pine crown closure were accurately delineated. The applicability of this stratification as supplemental input to a forest inventory system is also discussed.

Williams, D. L.↗

A canopy-related stratification of a Southern pine forest using Landsat digital data

An investigation was undertaken to determine if a consistent stratification of a Southern pine forest could be obtained by using Landsat multispectral scanner data to assess crown closure. Winter and summer Landsat scenes of the North Carolina coastal region were analyzed individually and then registered and merged to take advantage of temporal changes in the forest canopy. Three levels of pine crown closure were accurately delineated. The applicability of this stratification as supplemental input to a forest inventory system is also discussed.

Williams, D. L.↗

Utilization of LANDSAT imagery for mapping vegetation on the millionth scale

A series of test sites were examined to determine if the information content of the LANDSAT imagery that may be obtained of these sites is sufficient to permit their mapping according to the vegetation classification system recently published by Unesco. These sites include examples from the humid tropics, arid and semi-arid subtropics and temperature zones: Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Mindoro Island in the Philippines, Great Smoky Mountains of the southeastern United States, East Tennessee Valley, interior of Western Australia, northeastern Uganda, and south-central Kansas. The results of the experiment were presented in the form of vegetation maps and annotated images which serve to illustrate the detectability of various formations. It was concluded that, for the test sites examined, the formations of the Unesco vegetation classification can be satisfactorily distinguished on LANDSAT MSS images, especially when used as color composites and judiciously chosen as to season.

Williams, D. L.↗

Computer analysis and mapping of gypsy moth levels in Pennsylvania using LANDSAT-1 digital data

The effectiveness of using LANDSAT-1 multispectral digital data and imagery, supplemented by ground truth and aerial photography, was investigated as a new method of surveying gypsy moth (Porthetria dispar (L.)) (Lepidoptera; Lymantriidae) defoliation, which has greatly increased in Pennsylvania in recent years. Since the acreage and severity of gypsy moth defoliation reaches a peak from mid-June through the first few days of July, the July 8, 1973, LANDSAT-1 scene was chosen for analysis. Results indicate that LANDSAT-1 data can be used to discriminate between defoliated and healthy vegetation in Pennsylvania and that digital processing methods can be used to map the extent and degree of defoliation.

Williams, D. L.↗

Kansas environmental and resource study: A Great Plains model. Extraction of agricultural statistics from ERTS-1 data of Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. Wheat area, yield, and production statistics as derived from satellite image analysis, combined with a weather model, are presented for a ten county area in southwest Kansas. The data (representing the 1972-73 crop year) are compared for accuracy against both the USDA August estimate and its final (official) tabulation. The area estimates from imagery for both dryland and irrigated winter wheat were within 5% of the official figures for the same area, and predated them by almost one year. Yield on dryland wheat was estimated by the Thompson weather model to within 0.1% of the observed yield. A combined irrigated and dryland wheat production estimate for the ten county area was completed in July, 1973 and was within 1% of the production reported by USDA in February, 1974.

Morain, S. A.↗

The application of natural science data to land management decision-making

A natural environmental analysis process which allows the decision maker to know the probable consequences of a decision prior to the act is developed. Emphasis is placed on the fit between the natural environment and the social, economic, and functional attributes of man's communities and the transition from nature in its present state to various forms and intensities of development. Applications of the analysis are examined. It is concluded that the analysis is a workable system for land use management.

Williams, D. L.↗

Kansas environmental and resource study: A Great Plains model

The author has identified the following significant results. Improvement in the land use classification accuracy of ERTS-1 MSS multi-images over Kansas can be made using two distances between neighboring grey tone N-tuples instead of one distance. Much more information is contained texturally than spectrally on the Kansas image. Ground truth measurements indicate that reflectance ratios of the 545 and 655 nm wavebands provide an index of plant development and possibly physiological stress. Preliminary analysis of MSS 4 and 5 channels substantiate the ground truth interpretation. Results of the land use mapping experiment indicate that ERTS-1 imagery has major potential in regionalization. The ways in which land is utilized within these regions may then be studied more effectively than if no adequate regionalization is available. A model for estimating wheat yield per acre has been applied to acreage estimates derived from ERTS-1 imagery to project the 1973 wheat yields for a ten county area in southwest Kansas. The results are within 3% of the preharvest estimates for the same area prepared by the USDA. Visual identification of winter wheat is readily achieved by using a temporal sequence of images. Identification can be improve by stratifying the project area into subregions having more or less homogeneous agricultural practices and crop mixes.

Haralick, R. M.↗

Extraction of agricultural statistics from ERTS-A data of Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. Agricultural consultants have expressed substantial interest in work being conducted on center pivot irrigation and have inquired as to how ERTS-1 imagery can be used to aid those in the irrigation field. Results of the land use mapping experiment indicate that ERTS-1 imagery has major potential in regionalization. The ways in which land is utilized within these regions may then be studied more effectively than if no adequate regionalization is available.

Morain, S. A.↗

Interpretation of land use and stream order, Pawnee River Basin, Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. Land use and stream orders were mapped from ERTS-1 imagery covering the Pawnee River Basin. Total area of the basin, irrigated dry land crop area, and rangeland area were determined. The stream order of the basin was calculated by the Strahler method and provided more detail than is available on the comparable 1:250,000 sheets. This study has demonstrated the feasibility of using ERTS-1 imagery to map stream networks in greater detail than is required for 1:250,000 scale. The utility of ERTS-1 has also been demonstrated for mapping and mensuration of data relating to performance of ground cover types and the extent of irrigation.

Morain, S. A.↗

Identification of basic cloud types from ERTS imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. It was found that seven basic cloud types could be detected from ERTS-1 imagery. Each type exhibited characteristics that made them distinct. Suitable examples of each type were chosen, described, and a cloud identification item-index key prepared.

Morain, S. A.↗

Urban street patterns detectable from ERTS-1

The author has identified the following significant results. The major street patterns in Lincoln, Nebraska, are detectable on the January 24, 1973 ERTS MSS-4 image. To further study and identify the street patterns, a 3x Polaroid enlargement was made of the city from the image. An overlay of the enlargement was used to map the street patterns, with reference to the original image for clarity. The technique seems to be adaptable for updating standard road maps.

Morain, S. A.↗

Precipitation pattern on ERTS-1 image

The author has identified the following significant results. A precipitation pattern in west central Kansas was detected on an MSS image acquired 22 September 1972. Good correspondence was found between the interpolated one-inch isohyet and the apparent precipitation boundary in the image.

Morain, S. A.↗

Discrimination of winter wheat on irrigated land in southern Finney County, Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. Winter wheat in the large field irrigated landscape of southern Finney County, Kansas was successfully discriminated by use of 4 ERTS-1 images. These images were acquired 16 August 1972, 21 September 1972, and 2 December 1972. MSS-5 images from each date and the MSS-7 image from 2 December 1972 were used. Human interpretation of the four images resulted in a classification scheme which produced 98% correct estimation of the number of wheat fields in the training sample and 100% correct estimation in the test sample. Overall correct separation of wheat from non-wheat fields was 93% and 86%, respectively. Offsetting errors resulted in the estimation accuracy for wheat.

Morain, S. A.↗

Land use map, Finney County, Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. Methods for the mapping of land use in agricultural regions are developed and applied to preparation of a land use map of Finney County, Kanas. Six land use categories were identified from an MSS-5 image. These categories are: (1) large field irrigation; (2) small field irrigation; (3) dryland cultivation; (4) rangeland; (5) cultural features; and (6) riverine land. The map is composed of basically homogeneous regions with definable mixtures of the six categories. Each region is bounded by an ocularly evident change in land use.

Morain, S. A.↗