IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, “Resource and Environmental Monitoring”, Hyderabad, India,2002
1998), these soils are grouped under coarse-loamy, mixed,
hyperthermic family of Typic Ustorthents.
The soil reflectance (Fig. 1) increase from 5 per cent at 350 nm
to 18 per cent at 600 nm, 32 per cent at 900 nm and almost 42
per cent at 1200 nm. The maximum reflectance (52%) was
noticed around 1700 nm. The shape of the spectral curve is
linear between 350 to 900 nm and slightly convex between 900-
1200 and 1500-1800 nm. The soils have four conspicuous
absorption bands located at 750 nm, 950 nm, 1100 nm and
1300 nm.
60
50 4 LEN
À
AQ 4 e
Reflectance (96)
a
©
20 4 / ze
V4 -— Bath
10 4 y — Mahergaon
# — Karan Prayag
0 7 7 1 :
0.3 0.6 0.9 12 15 1.8
Wavelength (um)
Figure 1. Spectral curves of low altitude soils
Baijnath soils: Soils are deep to very deep, brown (10YR 5/3
D&M), sandy loam at surface, moderately well drained,
moderately acid (pH 5.7) occurring on cultivated broad river
terraces. These soils are classified as coarse-loamy, mixed,
hyperthermic family of Typic Haplustepts.
The spectral reflectance of Baijnath soil (Fig 1) increased from
5 per cent at 350 nm to 22 per cent at 600 nm, 34 per cent at
900 nm and 38 per cent at 1200 nm. Maximum spectral
reflectance was recorded at 1700 nm where it reached to almost
4] per cent. The shape of the curve is slightly concave between
350-600 nm and convex between 600 and 900 nm and almost
flat between 900-1800 nm with conspicuous absorption bands
at 950 and 1100 nm.
Mahergaon soils: Soils are deep, light yellowish brown
(2.5Y6/4 D) and very dark grayish brown (10YR4/3 M), loam
at surface, well drained, moderately acid (pH 5.8) occurring on
cultivated hill terraces. These soils are classified as fine-loamy,
mixed, hyperthermic family of Typic Haplustepts.
The spectral reflectance of Mahergaon soil (Fig. 1) increase
from about 4 per cent at 350 nm to 18 per cent at 600 nm, 30
per cent at 900 nm and about 40 per cent at 1200 nm.
Maximum spectral reflectance was recorded at 1700 nm where
it reached to almost 54 per cent. The shape of the curve was
linear between 350 to 1200 nm and convex between 1500 to
1800 nm with conspicuous absorption at 950 and 1100 nm.
3.4 Soils of mid-altitudes
Pithoragarh soils: Soils are deep to very deep, olive brown
(2.5Y6/6 D), silt loam at surface, moderately well drained,
moderately acid (pH 5.9) occurring on broad terraces of the
Pithoragarh valley. These soils are grouped under fine-silty,
mixed, thermic family of Ultic Hapludalfs.
The spectral reflectance of Pithoragarh soil (Fig. 2) increases
from 5 per cent at 350 nm to 25 per cent at 600 nm, 40 per cent
at 900 nm and 45 per cent at 1200 nm. The maximum
reflectance was recorded at 1650 nm where it reached to almost
49 per cent. The shape of the curve is slightly concave between
350 to 600 nm and slightly convex between 600 to 1200 and
almost flat between 1500 to 1800 nm. The prominent
absorption bands are noticed at 750, 900, 1100 and 1275 nm.
Pandukeshwar soils: Soils are deep, dark grayish brown
(10YR4/2 D) and very dark brown (10YR4/2 M) sandy loam at
60
Un
e
À
A
e
1
Reflectance (96)
22
e
20 4
— Pandukeshwar
10 1 — Chaukori
— Pithoragarh
0 :
0.3 0.6 0.9 L2 Ls 1.8
Wavelength (um)
Figure 2. Spectral curves of mid altitude soils
surface, slightly acid (pH 6.5) occurring on hill terraces under
potato cultivation. These soils are grouped under coarse-loamy
mixed, thermic family of Typic Hapludolls.The spectral
reflectance of Pandukeshwar soil (Fig. 2) increases from 4 per
cent at 350 nm to 11 per cent at 600 nm, 26 per cent at 900 nm
and 38 per cent at 1200 nm. The maximum reflectance was
recorded at 1700 nm where it reached to almost 48 per cent.
The shape of the curve is concave between 350 to 900 nm and
linear between 900 and 1200 nm and slightly convex between
1500 and 1800 nm. The reflectance curve of the soils showed
two absorption bands located at 950 and 1100 nm.
Chaukori soils: Soils are deep to very deep, brown (10YR4/3 '
D) and dark brown (10YR3/3 M) loam at surface, well drained,
strongly acid (pH 5.4) occurring on break of hill slopes under
banj forest. These soils are classified as fine-loamy, mixed,
thermic family of Typic Argiudolls.
The spectral reflectance from Chaukori soil (Fig. 2) increased
from 4 per cent at 350 nm to 15 per cent at 600 nm, 30 per cent
at 900 nm and 41 per cent at 1200 nm. The maximum
reflectance of 50 per cent was noticed at 1700 nm. The spectral
curve of soil showed two prominent absorption bands at 950
and 1100 nm and a weak absorption band at 750 nm
wavelength.
3.5 Soils of high altitudes
Auli soils: Soils are deep to very deep, very dark grayish
brown: (10YR3/2 D) loam at surface, strongly acid (pH 5.2)
occurring on high hill slopes under pasture. These soils are
classified as fine-loamy, mixed, mesic family of Humic Lithic
Dystrudepts.
The reflectance from Auli soil (Fig. 3) increases from about 4
per cent at 350 nm to 17 per cent at 600 nm, 30 per cent at 900
nm and
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