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At least 163 records · Page 9

Environmental study of ERTS-1 imagery Lake Champlain Basin and Vermont

The author has idenfified the following significant results. A first approximation land-type map using three categories of classification was generated for the Burlington area. The identification and mapping of a major turbidity front separating turbid waters of the southern arm of Lake Champlain from the clearer main water mass was reported on RBV 1 and 2 imagery and on subsequent MSS bands 4 and 5. Significant industrial pollution of Lake Champlain has degraded environmental quality in certain sections of the lake. Wetlands were detected and recognized using a combination of RBV bands 2 and 3. Using first-look RBV band 2 imagery, major ice marginal features were identified by using tonal patterns associated with vegetative cover. Major rivers were detected and recognized through the use of RBV band 3 imagery and MSS bands 6 and 7.

Lind, A. O.↗

ERTS-1 imagery of eastern Africa: A first look at the geological structure of selected areas

The author has identified the following significant results. Imagery of the African rift system resolves the major Cainozoic faults, zones of warping, and associated volcanism. It also clearly depicts the crystal grain of the Precambrian rocks where these are exposed. New structural features, or new properties of known features such as greater extent, continuity, and linearity are revealed by ERTS-1 imagery. This applies, for example, to the NE-SW fracture zones in Yemen, the Aswa mylonite zone at the northern end of the Western Rift, the Nandi fault of western Kenya, the linear faults of the Elgeyo escarpment in the Gregory Rift, and the hemibasins of warped Tertiary lavas on the Red Sea margin of Yemen, matching those of Ethiopian plateau-Afar margin. A tentative scheme is proposed, relating the effect on the pattern of Cainozoic faulting of the degree of obliquity to Precambrian structural trend. It is particularly noteworthy that, even where the Precambrian grain determines the rift faulting to be markedly oblique to the overall trend of the rift trough, for example, in central Lake Tanganyika, the width of the trough is not significantly increased. Some ground mapped lithological boundaries are obscure on ERTS-1 imagery.

Mohr, P. A.↗

Geographic applications of ERTS-1 imagery to rural landscape change in eastern Tennessee

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. A multistage sampling experiment was conducted using low (10,000') and high (60,000') altitude aircraft imagery in comparison with orbital (560 miles) ERTS imagery. Although the aircraft data provide detailed landscape observations similar to ground truth data, they cover relatively small areas per image frame for irregular static slices of time. By comparison, ERTS provides repetitive observations in a regional perspective for broad areal coverage. Microdensitometric and computer techniques are being used to analyze the ERTS imagery for gray tone signatures, comparisons, and ultimately for landscape change detection.

Rehder, J. B.↗

Remote sensing reconnaissance of faulting in alluvium, Lake Mead to Lake Havasu, California, Nevada and Arizona. An application of ERTS-1 satellite imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Analysis of ERTS-1 MSS and other imagery for a 125 x 25 mile area in the southern part of the Basin-Range Province of southeastern California, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona indicates the presence of numerous color and contrast anomalies in alluvium. Field work guided by high altitude U-2 and side-looking aerial radar imagery confirmed that these anomalies are fault zones, many of which are believed to be of recent age. Few faults in alluvium have been reported from previous ground based geologic studies in the area. ERTS-1 imagery provides a synoptic perspective previously unavailable for regional geologic studies. The ability to conduct rapid and inexpensive reconnaissance of recent faulting has important applications to land use planning, ground water exploration, geologic hazards, and the siting and design of engineering projects.

Bechtold, I. C.↗

Identification and interpretation of tectonic features from ERTS-1 imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Many criteria of active or recent fault movements are observable in the imagery. It was observed that where earthquake epicenter clusters occur, evidence of recent fault movements is generally observed. The opposite was not necessarily true as there are areas where evidence of recent faulting is observed, often along major known faults which are peculiarly devoid of significant seismicity. A tentative conclusion is that the seismicity pattern alone can often be a misleading criteria for potential earthquake hazards. The feasibility of recognizing geomorphic criteria of recent fault movement from ERTS-1 imagery suggests that ERTS imagery should be used to map potentially active faults and utilize this data to develop better criteria for the identification of areas prone to future earthquakes. An apparent correlation was observed between the distribution of mercury deposits in the California Coast Range Province and transverse fault zones trending west-northwest oblique to the trend of the San Andreas system. The significance of this correlation and the full extent of its implication on mercury exploration is under study.

Abdel-Gawad, M.↗

Utilizing ERTS-A imagery for tectonic analysis through study of the Bighorn Mountains Region

The author has identified the following significant results. Preliminary vegetation analysis has been undertaken on MSS scene 1085-17294, Oct. 16, 1973 in the Bighorn region. Forest Service maps showing detailed distribution of dominant forest types have been compared with MSS bands 5 and 7 positive transparencies, enlarged positive prints, and color imagery produced on an Addcol viewer. Patterns on the ERTS imagery match those on the Forest Service maps quite well. A tectonic map ovearlay of MSS band 7 of the Bighorn region reveals a strong concentration of linears in the uplift as compared to basins. Folds in the Bighorn Basin are visible where not covered by post-Paleocene deposits. In regions where far less is known of the geology than in this area, it might be possible to predict the subsurface occurrence of folds and lineaments on the basis of imagery analysis and more confidently explore covered areas for concealed oil structures and mineral deposits.

Hoppin, R. A.↗

Land use classification using texture information in ERTS-A MSS imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Preliminary digital analysis of ERTS-1 MSS imagery reveals that the textural features of the imagery are very useful for land use classification. A procedure for extracting the textural features of ERTS-1 imagery is presented and the results of a land use classification scheme based on the textural features are also presented. The land use classification algorithm using textural features was tested on a 5100 square mile area covered by part of an ERTS-1 MSS band 5 image over the California coastline. The image covering this area was blocked into 648 subimages of size 8.9 square miles each. Based on a color composite of the image set, a total of 7 land use categories were identified. These land use categories are: coastal forest, woodlands, annual grasslands, urban areas, large irrigated fields, small irrigated fields, and water. The automatic classifier was trained to identify the land use categories using only the textural characteristics of the subimages; 75 percent of the subimages were assigned correct identifications. Since texture and spectral features provide completely different kinds of information, a significant increase in identification accuracy will take place when both features are used together.

Haralick, R. M.↗

Proposal to evaluate the use of ERTS-A imagery in mapping and managing soil and range resources in the Sand Hills Region of Nebraska

The author has identified the following significant results. There appears to be a direct relationship between densitometry values obtained with MSS band 5 imagery and forage density for those range sites measured on the imagery, provided site category identification is indicated by other forms of imagery or ground truth. Overlap of density values for different site categories with differing forage condition classes does not allow assigning a given forage density value for a given densitometer value unless the range site category is known.

Drew, J. V.↗

Application of ecological, geological and oceanographic ERTS-1 imagery to Delaware's coastal resources planning

The author has identified the following significant results. Communities containing five different coastal vegetation species, developed marshlands, and fresh water impoundments have been identified in ERTS-1 images. Suspended sediment and circulation patterns in imagery from five ERTS-1 passes over Delaware Bay have been enhanced and correlated with predicted current patterns. Conclusions reached are: (1) ERTS-1 is suitable platform for observing suspended sediment patterns and water masses synoptically over large areas. (2) Suspended sediment acts as a natural tracer allowing photointerpreters to deduce gross current circulation patterns from ERTS-1 imagery. (3) Under atmospheric conditions encountered along the East Coast of the United States MSS band 5 seems to give the best representation of sediment load in upper one meter of water column. (4) In the ERTS-1 imagery the sediment patterns are delineated by three to four neighboring shades of grey. (5) Negative transparencies of the ERTS-1 images give better contrast whenever the suspended sediment tones fall within the first few steps of the grey scale. (6) Color density slicing helps delineate the suspended sediment patterns more clearly and differentiate turbidity levels.

Klemas, V.↗

Facilitating the exploitation of ERTS-1 imagery utilizing snow enhancement techniques

The author has identified the following significant results. Snow cover in combination with low angle solar illumination has been found to provide increased tonal contrast of surface feature and is useful in the detection of bedrock fractures. Identical fracture systems were not as readily detectable in the fall due to the lack of a contrasting surface medium (snow) and a relatively high sun angle. Low angle solar illumination emphasizes topographic expressions not as apparent on imagery acquired with a higher sun angle. A strong correlation exists between the major fracture-lineament directions interpreted from multi-sensor imagery (including snow-free and snow cover ERTS) and the strike of bedrock joints recorded in the field indicating the structural origin of interpreted fracture-lineaments. A fracture-annotated ERTS-1 photo base map (1:250,000 scale) is being prepared for western Massachusetts. The map will document the utilization of ERTS-1 imagery for geological analysis in comparative snow-free and snow-covered terrain.

Wobber, F. J.↗

Capability of ERTS-1 imagery to investigate geological and structural features in a sedimentary basin (Bassin Parisien, France)

The author has identified the following significant results. The region covered by the MSS images has the benefit of complete geological mapping at scales of 1:80,000, 1:320,000, and 1:1,000,000. Comparison of imagery and exisiting geological maps, particularly the 1:1,000,000 scale, produces important information: (1) Good correspondence is seen between large units distinguished on the images and the concentric strata of the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Paleocene on the map. (2) Comparison of MSS images with the hydrogeological map of the Parisian basin at 1:500,000 removes all ambiguity with regard to lithological variations. Among the many faults revealed, only three were considered: (1) the Metz; (2)Juranze; and (3) the double fault of the Marne. Imagery shows a conspicuous alignment of the Metz fault unknown until now and ending near Montereau against the group of north-south faults between Montargis and Bourbon l'Archambault. MSS images show that the Juranze fault divides beyond Brienne into two branches of equal importance. The northern one represents the known fault, the southern one was not known until now, but the convergence of the faults constitutes a tectonic trap. The double fault of the Marne is known for a total length of 50 km. ERTS-1 imagery suggest a prolongation toward the southeast which could bring its length to 110 km.

Weecksteen, G.↗

Tectonic mapping in Alaska with ERTS-1 imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. A mosaic of ERTS-1 imagery for a portion of interior Alaska covering approximately 57,000 sq km has proved to be a valuable tool in identifying structural elements previously not recognized. Mapped faults are clearly recognizable and are found to be part of a larger system of faults and lineaments identified on the imagery. A previously unrecognized set of conjugate fractures imply regional compression in a NNW-SSE direction in agreement with known fault dislocations. Earthquakes have a marked tendency to occur at intersections of lineaments seen on the imagery.

Gedney, L. D.↗

Evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery in mapping and managing soil and range resources in the Sand Hills Region of Nebraska

The author has identified the following significant results. Collection of ground truth data provided ground cover percent and the components of ground cover makeup. Percent bare soil appears to have greatest influence on imagery density of sites studied. Forage density estimates can be made on band 5 of MSS, provided site category identification is known. Additional data are provided concerning forage density and vegetation-soil relationship by color composites of MSS imagery. Reflectance differences shown on MSS bands 6 and 7 by Sand Hills lakes are related to water quality and possibly more specifically to total dissolved ions present in the water. Winter imagery with snow cover and low sun angle shows a marked enhancement of topography are associated with differences in forage density. High altitude color infrared photography appears to be a usable tool for recognition, measurement, and evaluation of go-back land.

Seevers, P. M.↗

Delineation of major soil associations using ERTS-1 imagery

The delineation of a major soil association in the loess region of Obion County has been accomplished using ERTS-1 imagery. Channel 7 provides the clearest differentiation. The separation of other smaller soil associations in an intensive row crop agricultural area is somewhat more difficult. Soil differentiation has been accomplished visually as well as electronically using a scanning microdensitometer. Lower altitude aircraft imagery permits a more refined soil association identification and where imagery is of sufficient scale, even individual soils may be identified.

Parks, W. L.↗

ERTS-1 imagery as an aid to the definition of the geotectonic domains of the southern African crystalline shield

Portions of two geotectonic environments in South Africa have been studied on ERTS-1 imagery. It was found that the broad synoptic view provided by this imagery is ideally suited to a study of the diagnostic macro-structures, and that the different geotectonic styles are clearly recorded. ERTS-1 imagery thus allows a more accurate definition than exists at present of the contact zones and internal structures of the two domains. The importance of this investigation as an aid to gaining on insight into the relevance of plate tectonics in Precambrian times is briefly discussed.

Viljoen, M. J.↗

Monitoring vegetation cover on mine dumps with ERTS-1 imagery: Some initial results

ERTS-1 imagery is being used in an attempt to differentiate between mine dumps having varying degrees of vegetative cover. At this stage it is clear that the various mine dumps can be located and identified. Differences in vegetative cover can be seen and measured. Patterns of vegetative growth, some characteristic to particular dumps, can also be seen. It is therefore tentatively concluded that mine dumps can be differentiated with respect to their vegetative cover on the imagery received to date. Subsequent imagery showing seasonal variations should facilitate this program.

Gilbertson, B. P.↗

Detection, mapping and estimation of rate of spread of grass fires from southern African ERTS-1 imagery

Sequential band-6 imagery of the Zambesi Basin of southern Africa recorded substantial changes in burn patterns resulting from late dry season grass fires. One example from northern Botswana, indicates that a fire consumed approximately 70 square miles of grassland over a 24-hour period. Another example from western Zambia indicates increased fire activity over a 19-day period. Other examples clearly define the area of widespread grass fires in Angola, Botswana, Rhodesia and Zambia. From the fire patterns visible on the sequential portions of the imagery, and the time intervals involved, the rates of spread of the fires are estimated and compared with estimates derived from experimental burning plots in Zambia and Canada. It is concluded that sequential ERTS-1 imagery, of the quality studied, clearly provides the information needed to detect and map grass fires and to monitor their rates of spread in this region during the late dry season.

Wightman, J. M.↗

Polluted and turbid water masses in Osaka Bay and its vicinity revealed with ERTS-A imageries

ERTS-1 took very valuable MSS imageries of Osaka Bay and its vicinity on October 24, 1972. In the MSS-4 and MSS-5 imageries a complex grey pattern of water masses can be seen. Though some of grey colored patterns seen in black and white prints of the MSS-4 and MSS-5 imageries are easily identified from their shapes as cloud covers or polluted water masses characterized by their color tone in longer wavelengths in the visible region, any correct distribution pattern of polluted or turbid water masses can be hardly detected separately from thin cloud covers in a quick look analysis. In the present investigation, a simple photographic technique was applied using the fact that reflected sun light from cloud including smog and inclined water surfaces of wave have a certain component in the near infrared region, that MSS-7, whereas the light scattered from fine materials suspended in the sea water has nearly no component sensible in MSS-4 and MSS-5 channels.

Watanabe, K.↗