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MONITORING THE ITAMARACA ISLAND URBAN 
EXPANSION WITH LANDSAT TM DATA 
Heber Rodrigues Compasso 
Cilene Gomes Compasso 
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco 
Depto. de Engenharia Cartográfica 
Rua Quarenta e Cinco, 1026 
52050-380 - Recife - PE, Brazil 
ISPRS Commission VII / Working Group 9 
ABSTRACT 
In The Itamaraca Island, 40 km. from Recife, a land use digital classification comparative study was 
performed with the help of LANDSAT TM images passes from 1984 to 1991. The purpose was to measure 
and evaluate the rapidly expanding urban occupation and the impact on its Atlantic forest and mangrove 
reserves. A similar work was done by the authors with two passes from 1984 to 1988. Actually they establish 
at the same time the urban update and a monitoring process to be held by the institutions charged with the 
environmental control since Itamaraca has a great touristic influx, manacing those reserves. The paper deals 
also with a new method detailed by the authors for choosing the best uncorrelated bands for classification 
purposes, the digitalization of the others updated information, and availability for coloured thematic final 
maps. A permanent vigilance is suggested since Recife has already the means for a rapidly evaluation of this 
kind at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. 
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