APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TO GEOLOGY 
AND HYDROLOGY FOR DAMASCUS AREA - SYRIA. 
Dr. Eng. Hussein. Ibrahim Geol.Marwan Koudmani 
Director General of GORS Expert in Remote Sensing 
Gen. Organ. of Remote Sensing Gen. Organ. of Remote Sensing 
Syria. Syria. 
Commission VII, Working Group 4 
KEY WORDS: K 649 K 003 K 019 K 023 
ABSTRACT 
The excellent resolution of SPOT data allows the preparation of detailed geological and hydrological maps 
and studies. Thanks to SPOT's side - Viewing, which helps to obtain stereoscopic images, the morphology 
is accurately reconstructed. This better knowledge of different geological units serves to improve 
signicantly existing geological mapping and to provide new maps. 
The part of the image SPOT-1 shown and analysed here lies in the region of Damascus and covers an area 
of 2100 km? The city itself appears slightly to south of the NE corner of the scene, most of whose 
western edge lies in Lebanese Territory. [ 
This paper includes analysis of two multiband images taken by SPOT satellite and a brief of geological and 
hydrological information for Damascus area. 
INTRODUCTION 
The part of the image SPOT-1 shown and analysed here 
lies in the region of Damascus (Syria) and covers an 
area of 2 100 km*. 
The city itself appears slightly to the south ofthe NE 
corner of the scene, most of whose western edge lies in 
Lebanese territory The analysis concerns two multib 
and made 24 h apart on 12 and 13 March 1986. 
The viewing direction of the right-hand image of the 
stereoscopic pair (13 March 1986) is 25 , and that of 
left-hand image (12 March 1986) is 8 . Figure l,a,b. 
Several natural regions that occupy vast areas 
in Syria come in contact in this zone (Figure 2). 
They are easily distinguished on the SPOT scene by 
the color and texture of the image: 
  
- to the west. a mountainous zone with a confused 
  
relief, dark-colored and spotted with white by the Figure 1,a SPOT image for Damascus area (right 
snows of Mount Hermon, corresponds to the image). | 
southern part of the Anti -Lebanon, (Figure 3). F 
- to the east appears the urban built-up area of 
- at the center, a more or less triangular area, Damascus, characterized by the bluish-grey color 
with a better organized relief and lighter in color, ofthe buildings, the web of roads and the red 
represents the SW tip of the palmyra Range, spots due to the dense vegetation of the gardens 
and orchards of the oasis,the Ghuta, (Figure 4). 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996