Cavazzini, Armando 
  
thermal wavelenghts analysis. Ground data were useful for calculating a regression between blue wavelengths brightness 
values and surface water turbidity (figure 3). Vegetation stress and water turbidity data were transferred into ArcView GIS? 
both with orthophotos and classification image thematic layers. 
  
  
  
  
Figure 3. A thermal infrared classification of the Pescara stream (Sulmona, Italy) 
Again, all relevant boundaries from the classified image were digitized and stored as a polygon layer in ArcView. Data base 
creation was also required for the perfect integration of MIVIS data. A complete combination of soil, vegetation, physical 
and chemical data was used. The geology and hydrography overlays digitized for the study area were interfaced with the 
slope angle and elevation data from the DEM. Thematic overlays were superimposed and studied as composite images. For 
the purposes of this research, a very detailed focus on the industrial area was implemented (figures 4 and 5) by the 
registration of several quantitative and qualitative information about the industrial installations. As a result, composites of 
thematic overlays on the MIVIS classified images were useful in discerning the spatial pattern of known phenomena. Also, 
such tecniques were found useful to examine phenomena and specific attributes not appearing on the orthophotos but 
readily apparent on the GIS images. 
Further applications will be computed. Geologic mapping of the area is an image treatment that is possible through edge- 
detection and edge-enhancement filtering of suitable MIVIS wavelenghts. The spatial pattern of geologic structures can be 
analyzed and various rock and mineral types highlighted. 
4. CONCLUSIONS 
Geographical Information Systems can be used for processing spatial data to assess the risks of environmental 
contamination. Their use depend upon the amount and quality of the available data, data processing procedures and models 
for the calculation of health risk. 
In this paper, MIVIS data have been used to assess the utility of hyperspectral imagery in detecting environmental 
anomalies such as stressed vegetation, water pollution and soil contaminated areas. A variety of data were involved: MIVIS 
images, map data (elevation and georeferenced orthophotos) and field reports. The MIVIS utility to thematic layers 
development has resulted in a soundly based use of GIS to support monitoring of contaminated areas by allowing 
calculation of pollution contours and environmental risk assessment (not shown here). 
Procedures for environmental sanitation are still hampered by financial and methodological problems. The potential 
economic and scientific gain of using MIVIS hyperspectral images can be recognized given the quality of the data and the 
high geometric resolution achieved by the sensor. MIVIS sensor offers facilities to accurately classify the landscape, get 
advanced water and pedogenetic information, study the spatial variability of spectral informations and locate stressed 
vegetation. The integration of MIVIS data with GIS support is a crucial element. The objective of using this source of 
  
240 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000.