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At least 559 records · Page 31

Early Results of Investigations of LANDSAT 4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner Applications

The TM digital data were evaluated for their potential to provide improved land cover information. The analyses included: (1) testing for information that may be offered by the new TM spectral bands, and (2) comparing data characteristics for equivalent spectral bands of the TM and MSS sensors. The analyses were conducted on several large samples of pixels corresponding to five broad land cover classes. Some TM spectral data are presented and evaluated as single-band, black-and-white images, and in several three-band color-composite images. Some data transformations which can be used to present TM data in a manner that is potentially more useful for analysis or display are demonstrated. These transformations enable generating hue, intensity, and saturation data space from red, green, and blue color space, as well as perspective view images.

Sadowski, F. G.↗

Snow Reflectance from Thematic Mapper

Calculations of snow reflectance in all 6 TM reflective bands (i.e., 1,2,3,4,5, and 7) using a delta Eddington model show that snow reflectance in bands 4,5, and 7 is sensitive to grain size. Efforts to interpret the surface optical grain size for the spectral extension of albedo are described. Results show the TM data include spectral channels suitable for snow/cloud discrimination and for snow albedo measurements that can be extended throughout the solar spectrum. Except for band 1, the dynamic range is large enough that saturation occurs only occasionally. The finer resolution gives much better detail on the snowcovered area and might make it possible to use textural information instead of the snowline as an index to the amount of snow melt runoff.

Dozier, J.↗

Comparative techniques used to evaluate Thematic Mapper data for land cover classification in Logan County, West Virginia

Several digital data processing techniques were evaluated in an effort to identify and map active/abandoned, partially reclaimed, and fully revegetated surface mine areas in the central portion of Logan County. The TM data were first subjected to various enhancement procedures, including a linear contrast stretch, principal components and canonical analysis transformations. At the same time, four general procedures were followed to produce six classifications as a means of comparing the techniques involved. Preliminary results show that various feature extraction/data reduction techniques provide classification results equal or superior to the more straightforward unsupervised clustering technique. Analyst interaction time for labelling clusters is reduced using the canonical analysis and principal components procedures, though the canonical technique has clearly produced better results to date.

Brumfield, J. O.↗

Investigations of Thematic Mapper data dimensionality and features using field spectrometer data

Landsat-4 TM and MSS data, simulated from field reflectance spectra, are used to determine the dimensionality and structure of TM data (excluding the thermal band), demonstrate the relationships between the two sensors, and derive a Tasseled Cap Transformation for TM data. The simulated TM data are found to primarily occupy three dimensions, and to be concentrated into two adjoining and orthogonal planes and a transition zone between the two. The 'Plane of Vegetation' is shown to be comparable to the MSS Tasseled Cap plane, while the 'Plane of Soils' represents new information. The potential for improved spectral estimation of the relative mix of vegegation and soil in the field of view, and for improved monitoring of soil moisture status, is demonstrated.

Crist, E. P.↗

Evaluation of Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper and multispectral scanner data quality

Landsat-4 image data quality was evaluated for test sites in Iowa and Illinois. Radiometric and geometric quality was tested and an applications evaluation was carried out using a cooling-pond thermal-mapping example. Geometric quality was found to be generally very good. Small errors were found in registration of the middle IR bands of the TM and the thermal IR band was found to be misregistered by one 120-meter pixel. Radiometric quality of the TM is excellent with only minor striping effects.

Bartolucci, L. A.↗

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.↗

A minicomputer based software system for the selection of optimal subsets of Thematic Mapper channels

A software system has been developed and implemented on a minicomputer for feature selection based on two inter-dependent methods. The first is an enhancement of the traditional approach based on optimizing interclass average separabilities. The second is based on a Monte Carlo simulation of multispectral data and machine classification with subsequent estimation of classification accuracy as a function of channel subset. The two methods are mutually supportive - the first allows rapid screening whereas the second is based on the more solid theoretical foundation of maximizing classification accuracy.

Card, D. H.↗

Effect of Landsat Thematic Mapper sensor parameters on land cover classification

Selected sensor parameter differences between TM and MSS were assessed through classification performance of a suburban/regional test site. Overall classification accuracy of a seven-band Landsat TM scene in comparison to MSS yielded an improvement in accuracy from 74.8 percent to 83.2 percent. To study the possible causes for the difference in classification performance, key sensor parameter differences between MSS and TM, including: (1) spatial resolution (30 m for TM versus 80 m for MSS), (2) quantization level (256 levels for TM versus 64 for MSS), and (3) spectral regions (seven bands in four major spectral regions for TM versus four bands in two regions for MSS), were evaluated. Landsat TM data were processed to stimulate all possible combinations of these MSS and TM parameters, yielding a three-factor design with two levels per factor. The results indicated that the added spectral regions (TM 1, TM 5, and TM 7) and to a lesser degree the increase in quantization level to eight bits produced the improved TM classification accuracy. However, in this study, the higher 30 m spatial resolution of TM contributed to a reduced classification accuracy from increased within-field variability or class heterogeneity.

Toll, D. L.↗

Remote detection of geobotanical anomalies associated with hydrocarbon microseepage using thematic mapper simulator (TMS) and airborne imaging spectrometer (AIS) data

An interpretation of TMS and AIS data sets collected from Lost River, West Virginia, are presented, along with a brief review of the supervised vegetation classification approach to vegetation mapping used at Lost River. A preliminary study of AIS data suggests that contiguous high-spectral resolution data from a very limited portion of the spectrum (1.2-1.5 micron) provide a greater discriminatory capability than do broad-band sensors such as the TMS covering of wider spectral range (0.45-2.35 microns).

Rock, B. N.↗

Landsat Thematic Mapper studies of land cover spatial variability related to hydrology

Past accomplishments involving remote sensing based land-cover analysis for hydrologic applications are reviewed. Ongoing research in exploiting the increased spatial, radiometric, and spectral capabilities afforded by the TM on Landsats 4 and 5 is considered. Specific studies to compare MSS and TM for urbanizing watersheds, wetlands, and floodplain mapping situations show that only a modest improvement in classification accuracy is achieved via statistical per pixel multispectral classifiers. The limitations of current approaches to multispectral classification are illustrated. The objectives, background, and progress in the development of an alternative analysis approach for defining inputs to urban hydrologic models using TM are discussed.

Wharton, S.↗

Spectral characterization of the Landsat Thematic Mapper sensors

Relative spectral response data for the Landsat-4 and Landsat-4 backup multispectral scanner subsystems (MSS), the protoflight and flight models, are presented and compared to similar data for the Landsat 1, 2 and 3 scanners. Channel (six channels per band) outputs for soil and soybean targets were simulated and compared within each band and between scanners.The principal differences between the spectral responses of the Landsat-4 scanners and previous scanners are discussed. The simulated Landsat-4 scanner outputs were 3 to 10 percent lower in the red band and 3 to 11 percent higher in the first near-IR band than previous scanners for the soybeans targets. The Landsat-4 scanners were generally more uniform from channel to channel within bands than previous scanners. In the upper-band edge of the red band of the protoflight scanner, one channel was markedly different (12 nm) from the rest. For a soybeans target, this nonuniformity resulted in a within-band difference of 6.2 percent in simulated outputs between channels.

Markham, B. L.↗

Analysis methods for Thematic Mapper data of urban regions

Studies have indicated the difficulty in deriving a detailed land-use/land-cover classification for heterogeneous metropolitan areas with Landsat MSS and TM data. The major methodological issues of digital analysis which possibly have effected the results of classification are examined. In response to these methodological issues, a multichannel hierarchical clustering algorithm has been developed and tested for a more complete analysis of the data for urban areas.

Wang, S. C.↗

Use of Thematic Mapper for water quality assessment

The evaluation of simulated TM data obtained on an ER-2 aircraft at twenty-five predesignated sample sites for mapping water quality factors such as conductivity, pH, suspended solids, turbidity, temperature, and depth, is discussed. Using a multiple regression for the seven TM bands, an equation is developed for the suspended solids. TM bands 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are used with logarithm conductivity in a multiple regression. The assessment of regression equations for a high coefficient of determination (R-squared) and statistical significance is considered. Confidence intervals about the mean regression point are calculated in order to assess the robustness of the regressions used for mapping conductivity, turbidity, and suspended solids, and by regressing random subsamples of sites and comparing the resultant range of R-squared, cross validation is conducted.

Horn, E. M.↗

Early evaluation of Thematic Mapper data for coastal process studies

Two sets of TM data taken over the ocean off the coast of the Southeastern U.S. Bight were studied for the applicability of TM data to marine environments. First, the results of applying TM and TMS data to determine chlorophyll concentration in the ocean are presented. Chlorophyll quantification in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 mg/cu m was achieved by taking the ratio of TM band-1/band-2. Second, the results of applying TM band-6 data to monitor sea surface temperature are described. A comparison of TM data with AVHRR data shows TM readings coincide with AVHRR data within a scatter of 0.5 deg C in most of the areas studied. Lastly, the results of a technique to map the water depths of coral reefs in the Great Bahama Bank are demonstrated. Depths from 0 to 20 meters were delineated using TM band-1. The classification accuracy and origins of anomalous depth points are discussed.

Kim, H. H.↗

Ground Reflectance Measurements from Thematic Mapper Data

Satellite radiance data are measures of solar radiation that has been reflected by the Earth's surface and scattered and absorbed by atmospheric gases and aerosols. Of concern to geologists are the surface reflectance and the degrading effects on surface resolution and albedo contrast introduced by atmospheric phenomena. The objects of this research have been to: (1) provide an empirical relationship between scanner radiance and ground reflectance allowing interpretation of the satellite data in terms of the surface parameter, and (2) assess the precision with which surface spectral reflectance may be recovered from LANDSAT-4 TM data in the presence of perturbing atmospheric and instrumental factors. The approach is field-oriented, and utilizes ground observations of surface spectral reflectance with portable spectrometers and radiometers to develop the required empirical relationships.

Conel, J. E.↗

LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) evaluation

The Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) for thematic mapping (TM) bands 3, 4, 5 and 7 is reliably estimated with the San Mateo Bridge target in the 12/31/82 scene. These results are to be compared with those from the 8/12/83 scene. Bands 1, 2 and 6 are to be analyzed with a different target possessing greater contrast. This may be possible with the underflight data comparison currently underway. The registration of this data to the TM image of 8/12/83 for a region arround the Stockton sewage pond east of San Francisco has begun. This particular approach has the advantage that the full two-dimensional MFT will be measured instead of the MFT in only one azimuth as reported.

Schowengerdt, R.↗

Geometric accuracy of Landsat-4 and Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper images

The geometric accuracy (GA) and errors in imagery by Landsat-4 and -5 were examined using data from regions with a minimal topography. A least-squares comparison was made between ground truth digitized photographs and TM data for prominent features displayed on a 1:24,000 map. The algorithms used for the transformation of the Landsat data to a Cartesian system are provided. Landsat-5 images had a calculated error of 11.2 m (0.4 pixel) and could not be improved with skew and affine-distortion corrections. However, the digitized images, including road tracks, were considered detailed enough for standard 1:50,000 maps. Landsat-5 imagery, when fully corrected, was consistently superior to Landsat-4 data.

Batson, R. M.↗