- 1934 - 
classified as protection area, is determined with a high accuracy on the 
SLAR images. However the savanna bush vegetation on these "Sierras" is 
classified as high forest on the phyto-ecological map of the "Projecto 
RADAM", 
On the SLAR images the creeper forest is apparently equally classified as 
the high forest (class 4 and 3, high and medium). No indication can be found 
for the valuable Mahogany forest regions, which is classified (3) equal 
or lower than the creeper forest. 
To prove the possibilities and limitations of SLAR interpretation in delineation 
of forest types, a detailed comparison is made of SLAR images and vegetation 
maps scale 1:250.000 of 3 areas, The areas My» M, and M, were selected 
in such a way (see potentional land use map) that the most important 
vegetation types of the pilot area of the Mahogany survey are covered. 
M, are SLAR strips with a stereoscopical overlap in the near and far range, 
M, 
M, is a part of the Proyecto RADAM semi-controlled radar mosaic. 
are SLAR strips with a coverage from near towards the far range and 
COMPARISON SLAR STRIPS ON MOSAIC AND FOREST TYPE MAP 
M1 - Ar atins 
The two SLAR strips with a partial overlap, near range left side and far 
range right side, are assembled for stereoscopic vision with a pocket 
Stereoscope. 
Without problems one may distinguish features like: 
the river Araguaia and its smaller water courses by the dark tone, the 
light toned former courses (swamp vegetation), the new Trans Amazonia 
road and the airstrip. 
Less clearly distinguishable are features like: 
the village Araguatins with its square layout of roads, 
the smaller roads and the streamlets. 
In general the topography is flat with the exception of some small hills 
and depressions in or near the savannas, These features are visible in the 
far range SLAR strip by their radar shadow. 
Abrupt changes in vegetation height like low secondary forest in high forest, 
gallery forest in savanna and low swamp vegetation in swampforest are registered 
in the scan direction as thin white lines (high reflectance) from low to 
high vegetation and as thin black lines (radar shadow) from high to low 
vegetation, These thin lines are better visible in the far range than in the 
near range strip. 
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
   
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
2.