(0
(9
5. Special Applications, especially the use
of Photogrammetry for the protection of
cultural values. including “Architectural
Photogrammetry"
Continued was the use of Photogrammetry in the
areas of accident documentation, Systematic sur-
veillance of glaciers, hydrodynamic experimenta-
tion-and for the support of various engineering pro-
jects. The photogrammetric method was used in-
creasingly in support of efforts to protect cultural
values. Especially the architectural photogram-
metry gained on importance. During the past three
years more use of this technique was made than
ever before. This progress was partly helped by the
introduction of high precision objectives of various
focallength for terrestrial cameras.
Two courses with 60 participants were conducted
at Zurich and Heerbrugg, on the subject of using
photogrammetric techniques in support of problems
concerned with the restoration and the preservation
of the character of villages and historical cities.
6. Photointerpretation—Remote sensing
Introduction
Among the most significant developments in re-
mote sensing have since the Ottawa Congress been
first the applications of earth resources satellite
data (LANDSAT / EREP) for different purposes re-
sulting in a rapidly increasing use of computerized
data processing methods and second in the forma-
tion of an interdepartmental coordination group for
remote sensing (Koordinationsgruppe Fernerkun-
dung) under the leadership of the Division of
Science and Research of the Department of the
Interior (chairman Mr. P. Flubacher) to promote and
coordinate research activities and contacts with
other national and international organizations.
Besides these widespread activities in modern re-
mote sensing techniques including handling of data
aquired by IR scanners, multispectral scanners,
radiometers etc. there is still substantial use of
conventional photo interpretation methods. It is not
possible to report here in detail on all these various
thematical as well as methodological research
endeavours. We rever to a comprehensive catalog
containing all ongoing projects in remote sensing
edited by O. KOELBL' and to a reference list of all
published literature by Swiss authors and on Swit-
zerland for the reporting period 1972—76 compiled
by H. HAEFNER2. The objective of this short report
is much more to outline some major recent activi-
ties and important trends grouped according to the
various sensor and imaging systems and to the pro-
cessing methods.
Interpretation of photographs and orthophoto-
graphs with conventional methods
Some of the major applications of aerial photo-
' The catalog is available from: Dr. O. Koelbl, Eidg. Anstalt für
das forstliche Versuchswesen, CH-8903 Birmensdorf
? The list is available from: Prof. Dr. H. Haefner, Dept. of Geo-
graphy, University of Zürich, Blümlisalpstr. 10, CH-8006 Zürich
graphs and orthophotographs interpreted by con-
ventional methods are for
— planning purposes on all different levels (local,
regional, national),
— updating of the existing databank of Switzerland
on the basis of a hectare grid system consider-
ing specific rural and urban aspects,
— compilation of local geographical information
systems in high mountain environment for geo-
ecological studies,
— establishing digital forest type maps and com-
puting its aerial extension by using stereo-plot-
ter, boundary registration, automated drawing
device etc. (map scale 1 : 5000 or 1 : 10 000),
— national forest inventory based on a sampling
system,
— integrated resources surveys, inventories and
planning projects in developing countries, in
particular
— for agricultural and population surveys based
on photo interpretation and field sampling
techniques in various areas of the Yemen
Arab Republic,
— for a revision and complementation of the
first population census of the YAR by photo-
counting techniques and field sampling.
Modern analog and digital processing of b/w and
color photography
Instruments as microdensitometer, scanning-micro-
scope-photometer, Optronics photomation System,
Quantimet etc. were applied for
— development of an automated interpretation
system of forest types using texture of b/w pho-
tos as the main criterion,
— computerized land use mapping with large-
scale aerial color photography based on the
definition of various textural parameters,
— a determination of the areal changes of the
snow cover to evaluate surface runoff in a
mountain valley.
Digital processing of airborne thermal IR- and
multispectral-scanner data
Research work with airborne scanners concen-
trates on
— study of the mesoclimate and microclimate of
an urban area and its surroundings, in particular
of the distribution of cold air lakes,
— investigation of the interrelationship between
infrared radiation of different agricultural crop
types, and various meteorological variables
such as “air temperature”, “relative and specific
air humidity” and “wind velocity”,
— evaluation of the potentials of an eleven channel
multispectral scanner for agricultural land use
mapping under European conditions.
Processing of spaceborne digital multispectral
scanner data
Having a research project accepted for all three
earth resources experimental satellite projects
(LANDSAT-1 and 2 / Skylab EREP) in Switzerland
(as well as for the forthcoming HCMM) the following
significant results could be obtained:
