Land use mapping and modelling for the Phoenix Quadrangle

Abstract

The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison of 9 x 9 MSS band images and color composites made from bands 4, 5, and 6 showing vegetated areas near Phoenix during the summer and fall seasons aided in definitely establishing that certain land areas were being used as agricultural land and not as rangeland. Agricultural land, which appeared to be fallow, idle, or not irrigated, often became more readily identifiable as agricultural land when comparing different images of identical land areas which have been affected by seasonal vegetation changes. Experimentation with color density slicing portions of 9 x 9 MSS band 7 transparency showing the central urban core of phoenix enabled dense commercial and industrial areas to be separated from less dense urbanized land uses; however, loss of resolution produced results of limited usefulness. The best results in agricultural areas near Sun City were obtained using MSS band 5 imagery. Discrimination of different land uses in both urban and agricultural areas which were color density sliced was not possible to the degree of accuracy necessary to make mapping feasible. Examination of MSS transparencies and color composites allowed updating of a map of land use change in the Phoenix Quadrangle.