Pattern recognition for remote sensing - Progress and prospects

Abstract

An overview is given of the current state of automatic image pattern recognition as applied to remote sensing of the earth's resources. The framework for the discussion is provided by four important aspects of the remote sensing problem: scene information content, characterization of scene information, information extraction methods, and the net value of extractable information. Outstanding problems are surveyed, as are the prospects for future developments. The effect of increasingly complex data bases and the rapidly evolving digital computer technology are highlighted.