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Advances in analytical results follow:
1. Mapping of the shallow seas - Work done by the Defense Mapping
Agency (DMA) and NASA, on revision of the hydrographic chart of the
Chagos Archipelago (Hammack, 1977) demonstrated the utility of Landsat
data in mapping the shallow seas of the world. This capability adds
greatly to the amount of area now being brought under survey with
remote sensing in the United States and elsewhere. The significance
of this capability, primarily for navigation purposes but also for
exploration of shore areas for minerals and mineral fuels deposits,
cannot be overestimated. Mapping of the shallow seas by conventional
methods is one of the most difficult and dangerous hydrographic tasks.
2. Mapping the distribution of oil on water - Landsat has proved
an effective tool for mapping the distribution of oil on water. This
can be done by using analog methods or digital enhancement techniques
(Deutsch, Strong, and Estes, 1977). . The significance of this capability
in environmental monitoring is self-evident. In addition, continued
appearance of oil on repetitive coverage of the scene would indicate
the presence of a natural marine oil seep.
3. Mapping of major structural features on the Earth's surface,
either linear or curvilinear - Many linear features, visible on Landsat
images, extend for hundreds of miles; many curvilinear features are
hundreds of miles in diameter. Mapping of such features has been
pursued by W. D. Carter (1977), E. H. Lathram and R. C. H. Raynolds
(1977), N. R. D. Albert and P. S. Chavez (1977), and others. Hypotheses
have been formulated concerning the relationships between the occurrence
of these major features and the occurrence of mineral deposits, favorable
facies for petroleum accumulation, and potential sources of geothermal
energy. This work has been supported by parallel investigations involv-
ing Russian colleagues (V. I. Makarov and L. I. Solov'yeva, 1977;
P. . V. Florensky, A..S.|Petrenko, and B. P. Shorin-Konstantinov,: 1977;
and V. G. Trifonov, V.| I. Makarov, V. M.-Panin; S. F.'Scobelev,
P. V..Florensky, and B. P. Shorin-Konstentinov, 1977). Some Russian
and American scientists believe that these large structures extend to
significant depths, perhaps into the mantle of the Earth, and that they
have served as major conduits for bringing mineralizing fluids to the
surface and for controlling facies distributions at depth.
4. Recognition of the significance of lake distribution and lake
orientation in Arctic and sub-Arctic areas as it adds to structural
features - For a number of years, Scandinavian scientists have used
lake alinements as indicators of the presence and strike of faults and
subsequently as a guide to minerals investigations. Recent work by
E. H. Lathram and R. G. H. Raynolds (1977), N. R. D. Albert and
P. S. Chavez (1977), and W. A. Fischer and E. H. Lathram (1973) has
suggested that lake orientation and distributions may indicate struc-
tural configurations in Arctic and sub-Arctic areas that have
significance in respect to mineral and petroleum accumulations.
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