59 
Symposium on Remote Sensing for Resources Development and Environmental Management / Enschede / August 1986 
Space photomaps - Their compilation and peculiarities 
of geographical application 
B.A.Novakovski 
Moscow State University, USSR 
ABSTRACT: Maps and modern space photographs serve as basic models and information sources 
used in the geographical research. The key to their effective use in geography is there 
fore in optimal combination of specific features of maps and space photographs. Such com 
bination is possible through creation of space photomaps and their appropriate use. From 
the technical point of view photomaps can be complied from space photographs converted 
into orthophotoimages on the basis of analogue or photogrammetric orthophotoequipment. Pra 
ctical aspects of obtaining space orthophotoimages and photomaps are illustrated by analy 
sis and analogue processing of the stereoscopic couple of space photographs taken over the 
Pamiro-Alay area by the "Souyz-22" multispectral MKF-6 camera. One of the specific featu 
res of space photomap application is the possibility of improving the derived morphometric, 
correlation and other maps. This is shown through the application of the hypsometric pic 
ture (obtained by means of photogrammetry) aimed at compiling maps of morphoisolines, ho 
rizontal and vertical relief dissection, erosion network and lineaments. Combination of 
cartometry, morphometry, quantitative interpretation and mathematical-cartographical mo 
delling is an important trend in the application of remote sensing and cartographic metho 
ds of research based on photogrammetric approaches. 
i the 
Lied 
likeli- 
ed 
and 
lfor- 
Of special importance for thematic interpre 
tation of the remote sensing data is their 
presentation in the form most suitable for 
solving various scientific and practical 
problems of geography. Cartography is beli*. 
eved to the principal method that fully ma 
kes use of the advantages and takes into 
account the peculiarities of orbital images 
of the Earth. Thematic maps based on the 
interpretation of space images or photomo- 
zaics are highly reliable. A new possibili 
ty imerging out of space-based meso- and 
microscale thematic cartography is the de 
velopment of the research function of the 
cartographic method. 
From the comparison of space images and 
maps it is evident that the former present 
an integral uninterpreted picture of a cer 
tain fragment of the Earth's surface in all 
its geographical complexity. Out of that 
complex picture maps reflect only an inter 
preted and ordered in a certain way discre 
te integral image depending on their themes. 
It is thus quite natural that space photo 
graphs are at a higher level than maps^in 
the hierarchy of geographical models (Bep— 
JIHHT t 1978) . Space images and maps have 
some common and comparable features, such 
as selectivity, scale and metricity, visu- 
ality, singularity, geometric similarity 
to actual objects on the Earth surface, as 
well as territorial-geographic corresponde 
nce. On the other hand there exist some es 
sential differences between them especial 
ly manifest in comparative estimates of 
their abstractness, syntheticity and logi- 
city (Neumann, 1981). 
Modern maps, and space images are joint 
ly used in the geographical research. They 
can be processed by kindred methods of car 
tometry, mass-scale extraction of morpho 
metric and statistical information, crea 
tion of digital and mathematic models. It 
should De noted that it's not only simila 
rity of maps and photographs as models of 
reality that favours their joint applica 
tion, but their differences (providing mu 
tual complementarity) as well. 
Modern thematic map is, thus, an impor 
tant geographic model possesing many meri 
ts as well as certain shortcomings. The 
characteristics of space images make it 
possible to limit or even eliminate certa 
in negative features of maps. We believe 
the decision to be in a search of optimal 
combination of appropriate qualities of 
maps and space images. Such a combination 
is provided by the development and proper 
use of space photomaps. 
From the technical point of view space 
photomaps are half-tone photographic pic 
tures of the Earth's surface (black-and- 
white or coloured) with background 
and shading conventional signs 
used in compiling coi’responding types of 
maps . 
The identification of necessary objects 
on space images, their interpretation and 
mapping are difficult tasks of cartographic- 
photo gramme trie interpretation. The proces 
sing of such pictures is apt to take more 
effort than traditional techniques based 
on small-scale aerial images do. That is 
why it's expedient to transform space pho 
tographs (especially those of high resolu 
tion) into orthophotomaps. Such a treatment 
leaves intact all details of plained con 
tents while largely reducing the labour 
consuming drawing procedures. 
The modern optico-mechanical analogue or 
electronic-digital orthophotoequipment al 
lows the use of space images as maps proper 
while traditionally they are no more than 
a mapping base. The most valuable feature 
of an orthophotoimage is it's uniform sca 
le, facilitating exact cartometric measu 
rements without any initial image correcti 
ons for slope effects, area's surface re-