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At least 433 records · Page 24

Impact of thematic mapper sensor characteristics on classification accuracy

A three factor (spectral, spatial, and radiometric resolution), two level (TM and MSS) analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach allowed evaluation of the effects of each factor individually and in all possible combinations. Digital classification accuracy was used as the figure of merit. Nine study sites in Washington, DC, each of approximately 256 x 256 TM pixels, were randomly selected from the full scene for analysis. These results strongly suggest that the quantization level improvements and the addition of new spectral bands in the visible and middle IR regions (both afforded by the TM sensor design) can result in improved capabilities to accurately delineate land cover categories using a per point Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier. On the other hand, results indicate that the increase in spatial resolution to 30 m does not significantly enhance classification accuracy. The spatial result points to an inherent limitation of a per point classifier and to the need to improve data analysis techniques to handle high spatial resolution data.

Williams, D. L.↗

Comparison of level I land cover classification accuracy for MSS and AVHRR data

The capabilities of the Advanced Very-High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) for land-cover mapping were investigated by comparing the accuracy of land-cover information for the Washington, DC area derived from NOAA-7 AVHRR data with that from Landsat Multispectral Scanner Subsystem (MSS) data. Unsupervised level I land-cover classifications were performed for MSS and AVHRR data sets collected on July 11, 1981. A detailed accuracy assessment was conducted based on ground data delineated on 12 U.S. Geological Survey 7-5 min series topographic maps. These results produced overall land-cover classification accuracies of 71.9 and 76.8 per cent for AVHRR and MSS, respectively. While the accuracies for predominant categories were similar for both sensors, land-cover discrimination for less commonly occurring and/or spatially heterogeneous categories was improved with the MSS data set. The AVHRR, however, performed as well as or better than the MSS in classifying large homogeneous areas. The application of AVHRR data with its lower processing cost and more frequent worldwide coverage appears promising for regional land-cover mapping.

Gervin, J. C.↗

The effects of merging TM and A/C radar on wetland classification

While radar does not provide detailed begetation discrimination, it provide the means to separate areas of different moisture conditions. Thus, the use of LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM) in conjunction with the microwave data was attempted. If successful, information on shoreline cover, emergent wetland vegetation and extent, and submerged grassbeds would provide much needed data for planning and maintenance of wetlands. Originally, the goal was to determine the accuracy with which one could categorize various types of vegetation and land use within an inland wetland using LANDSAT TM data. First, a Level 1/2 supervised classification was performed. Following a more detailed ground trust survey, a Level 3 classification was done. Aircraft L-band radar data were received and the decision was made to merge the TM and L-band data and assess whether vegetation catagories within the wetland areas could be better defined. Preliminary results indicate vegetation delineation is improved for open agricultural areas and water, but other features are more confused.

Ormsby, J. P.↗

Changes in classification accuracy due to varying Thematic Mapper and multispectral scanner spatial, spectral, and radiometric resolution

The present paper provides the results of a factorial experiment designed to study the classification differences resulting from varying TM and MSS sensor resolution. Eight simulated data sets of various TM and MSS spatial, spectral, and radiometric resolutions were generated on the basis of Daedalus aircraft scanner data. It is pointed out that the current study provides more precise results than previous work, because more exact methods of data simulation with regard to the three factors were emphasized. Two methods of analysis are considered in the paper. To improve on earlier studies, efforts were made to collect an extensive amount of ground reference data. The summaries of classification accuracies for the training sites in the factorial analysis are presented in a table.

Acevedo, W.↗

The effects of sensor advancements on Thematic Mapper data classification

Analyses of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data were conducted to assess the effects of sensor advancements on the thematic classification of remote sensing data. The effects of altering three sensor characteristics (spatial resolution, data quantization, and spectral band configuration) from Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) specifications were investigated using analysis-of-variance (ANOVA). Analyses were conducted on data from two TM scenes: Washington, D.C. (late autumn) and western Pennsylvania (late summer). Results indicate that the contribution of sensor advancements to thematic classification are highly dependent of spectral and spatial scene attributes.

Irons, J. R.↗

The development of an MSS satellite imagery classification expert system

Unsupervised image classification of Landsat MSS imagery entails a significant part of the remote sensing, image analysis effort. Expert systems, a technology developed in the field of artificial intelligence, offers the potential to automate this process, thus greatly increasing the efficiency with which an analyst can perform unsupervised image classification and making the knowledge of the image analyst available to a community of nonexperts. Such a system, under development at the NASA/Ames Research Center, is described and planned enhancements are discussed.

Engle, S. W.↗

Texture classification by local rank correlation

A new approach to texture classification based on local rank correlation is proposed here. Its performance is compared with Laws' method which uses local convolution with feature masks. In the experiments, texture samples are classified based on their distribution of local statistics, either rank correlations or convolutions. The new method achieves generally optimal classification rates. It appears to be more robust because local order statistics are unaffected by local sample differences due to monotonic shifts of texture gray values and are less sensitive to noise.

Harwood, D.↗

An integrated Landsat/ancillary data classification of desert rangeland

Range inventorying methods using Landsat MSS data, coupled with ancillary data were examined. The study area encompassed nearly 20,000 acres in Rush Valley, UT. The vegetation is predominately desert shrub and annual grasses, with same annual forbs. Three Landsat scenes were evaluated using a Kauth-Thomas brightness/greenness data transformation (May, June, and August dates). The data was classified using a four-band maximum-likelihood classifier. A print map was taken into the field to determine the relationship between print symbols and vegetation. It was determined that classification confusion could be greatly reduced by incorporating geomorphic units and soil texture (coarse vs fine) into the classification. Spectral data, geomorphic units, and soil texture were combined in a GIS format to produce a final vegetation map identifying 12 vegetation types.

Price, K. P.↗

Natural fracture systems on planetary surfaces: Genetic classification and pattern randomness

One method for classifying natural fracture systems is by fracture genesis. This approach involves the physics of the formation process, and it has been used most frequently in attempts to predict subsurface fractures and petroleum reservoir productivity. This classification system can also be applied to larger fracture systems on any planetary surface. One problem in applying this classification system to planetary surfaces is that it was developed for ralatively small-scale fractures that would influence porosity, particularly as observed in a core sample. Planetary studies also require consideration of large-scale fractures. Nevertheless, this system offers some valuable perspectives on fracture systems of any size.

Rossbacher, Lisa A.↗

Spectral classification of emission-line galaxies

A revised method of classification of narrow line active galaxies and H II region-like galaxies is proposed. It involves the line ratios (O III) lambda 5007/H beta, (N II) lambda 6583/H alpha, (S II) (lambda lambda 6716 = 6731)/H alpha, and (O I) lambda 6300/H alpha. These line ratios take full advantage of the physical distinction between the two types of objects and minimize the effects of reddening correction and errors in the flux calibration. Large sets of internally consistent data are used including new previously unpublished measurements. Prediction of recent photoionization models by power law spectra and by hot stars are compared with the observations. The classification is based on the observational data interpreted on the basis of these models.

Veilleux, Sylvain↗

Dealing with Shuttle payload classifications NMI 8010.1 - A user's interpretation

The Shuttle payload classifications in the NASA Management Instruction (NMI) 8010.1 are examined in terms of risk management. The four payload classes, minimum risk, risk/cost compromise, reflight or repeat flight payload, and minimum single attempt cost, are described. The effects of the classifications on payload product assurance provisions are discussed. Environmental design and test requirements are interpreted in terms of NMI 8010.1.

Gindorf, Tom↗

Landsat classification of Argentina summer crops

A Landsat MSS and TM classification approach based on three features derived from the greenness profile has proved very effective in separating and identifying corn, soybeans, and other ground cover classes in the U.S. The objective of this study is to investigate the separation of summer crops in Argentina, one of the most important commodity exporters, using the same greenness profile features that have proved effective in the U.S. Corn Belt. The area chosen for study is a more complex cropping practice area located in the north-west corner of Buenos Aires province in Pampa Humeda, where corn, soybean, sorghum, sunflower, and pastures are cultivated. It is shown that the profile features can provide very effective separation, except in the case of corn from sorghum. Separation between corn and soybeans was found to be greater than in the U.S. This study suggests that the automatic, unsupervised classification approach developed in the U.S., with relatively minor modification, can be used for summer crop area estimation in Argentina.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Land cover/use classification of Cairns, Queensland, Australia: A remote sensing study involving the conjunctive use of the airborne imaging spectrometer, the large format camera and the thematic mapper simulator

In an attempt to improve the land cover/use classification accuracy obtainable from remotely sensed multispectral imagery, Airborne Imaging Spectrometer-1 (AIS-1) images were analyzed in conjunction with Thematic Mapper Simulator (NS001) Large Format Camera color infrared photography and black and white aerial photography. Specific portions of the combined data set were registered and used for classification. Following this procedure, the resulting derived data was tested using an overall accuracy assessment method. Precise photogrammetric 2D-3D-2D geometric modeling techniques is not the basis for this study. Instead, the discussion exposes resultant spectral findings from the image-to-image registrations. Problems associated with the AIS-1 TMS integration are considered, and useful applications of the imagery combination are presented. More advanced methodologies for imagery integration are needed if multisystem data sets are to be utilized fully. Nevertheless, research, described herein, provides a formulation for future Earth Observation Station related multisensor studies.

Heric, Matthew↗

Characterization and classification of South American land cover types using satellite data

Various methods are compared for carrying out land cover classifications of South America using multitemporal Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer data. Fifty-two images of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from a 1-year period are used to generate multitemporal data sets. Three main approaches to land cover classification are considered, namely the use of the principal components transformed images, the use of a characteristic curves procedure based on NDVI values plotted against time, and finally application of the maximum likelihood rule to multitemporal data sets. Comparison of results from training sites indicates that the last approach yields the most accurate results. Despite the reliance on training site figures for performance assessment, the results are nevertheless extremely encouraging, with accuracies for several cover types exceeding 90 per cent.

Townshend, J. R. G.↗

Landsat classification of the barren hydrolittoral areas of Lake Yli-Kitka, north-eastern Finland

As a part of the project 'Landsat-studies for Mapping the Variables within Water Areas' this study deals with the classification possibilities of evaluating and mapping depth relations and bottom materials within the barren and clear-watered shores of Lake Yli-Kitka, North-Eastern Finland. It has been discovered that it is possible to distinguish open water areas with a water depth of more than about half of the Secchi disk depth from those of shallower hydrolittoral areas. The morainic, sandy and only slightly vegetated subareas of the shallow shores and shoals can possibly be identified by using a simple classification procedure. The data used were recorded by the coarse-resolution Landsat MSS imagery system, and better results are expected after the experiences of the Landsat TM data and the availability of the SPOT material.

Raitala, J.↗

Discrimination and supervised classification of volcanic flows of the Puna-Altiplano, Central Andes Mountains using Landsat TM data

Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images of portions of the Central Andean Puna-Altiplano volcanic belt have been tested for the feasibility of discriminating individual volcanic flows using supervised classifications. This technique distinguishes volcanic rock classes as well as individual phases (i.e., relative age groups) within each class. The spectral signature of a volcanic rock class appears to depend on original texture and composition and on the degree of erosion, weathering, and chemical alteration. Basalts and basaltic andesite stand out as a clearly distinguishable class. The age dependent degree of weathering of these generally dark volcanic rocks can be correlated with reflectance: older rocks have a higher reflectance. On the basis of this relationship, basaltaic lava flows can be separated into several subclasses. These individual subclasses would correspond to mappable geologic units on the ground at a reconnaissance scale. The supervised classification maps are therefore useful for establishing a general stratigraphic framework for later detailed surface mapping of volcanic sequences.

Mcbride, J. H.↗

Classification of cloud fields based on textural characteristics

The present study reexamines the applicability of texture-based features for automatic cloud classification using very high spatial resolution (57 m) Landsat multispectral scanner digital data. It is concluded that cloud classification can be accomplished using only a single visible channel.

Welch, R. M.↗

A Bayesian classification of the IRAS LRS Atlas

The availability of a reclassification of the IRAS LRS Atlas of spectra using a new Bayesian classification procedure (AutoClass) is announced. The classes of objects which result from the application of the AutoClass algorithm include many of the previously known LRS classes. New classes which have interesting astronomical and astrophysical interpretations were also found. Techniques, such as the AutoClass algorithm, have a bright future in the arena of astronomical classification problems.

Goebel, J.↗