International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B4. Istanbul 2004
Figure 1. Summary structural map of the South Caspian Basin,
Jackson et al., 2002.
Central morphological element of the peninsula is Chochrak
Ridge, which reaches 92 metres above sea level (119 metres
above Caspian Sea level) and is ranged from NE to SW. The
ridge is formed by Middle and Upper Pliocene series — “Red
Series" — nowadays crossed by hundreds of deep erosion
gullies, some of those drain brines out of sand-argillaceous
Pliocene beds (Dvorov, 1975). Lower Pliocene layers do not
achieve the surface and thus can not be studied using remote
sensing. The rest of peninsula is formed of Quarternary
sediments of Akchagyl, Absheron, Baku, Khazar and Chvalin
stages (fig. 2).
Figure 2. Geological schema of Cheleken (according to
A.S.Arhipthenko, 1956); red series (white area in the centre) are
surrounded by other beds.
Chochrak Ridge is semicircular surrounded by solonchaks —
small muddy areas, which especially southwards acquires the
largest size. Solonchaks are formed as a result of extensive
brines activity linked with faulting of Pliocene rocks and with
erosion of Chochrak Ridge. These processes allow brines reach
the surface and thus change the surface rocks.
The other phenomenon linked with faulting is presence of mud
volcanism. Three volcanoes of different age occurs in the area:
remains of Upper Pliocene or Post-Pliocene mud volcano Aligul
are situated on the SE slope of Chochrak, in the western part of
the peninsula, approximately 2 kilometres of Caspian shoreline,
is situated active mud volcano of Zapadnyj Porsugel. Its mud-
flows are discharged south and northwards of the crater. In the
NE of Chochrak can be found lake of Rozovyj Porsugel —
former mud volcano crater flooded by water.
During Post-Pliocene times have been formed numerous
marine-built terraces, which describe sea-levels of Chvalinsk
Sea. Second and third Chvalinsk terrace is sloped to NNW due
to Post-Chvalinsk uplift of Cheleken anticline formation.
1.3 ASTER instrument
The ASTER sensor was launched in December 1999 on board
the Earth Observation System (EOS) US Terra satellite to
record solar radiation in 14 spectral bands (fig. 3.). ASTER
measures reflected radiation in three bands between 0.52 and
0.86 um (Visible and Near Infrared - VNIR) and in six bands
from 1.6 to 2.43 um (Shortwave Infrared - SWIR), with 15-
respectively 30- metres spatial resolution. Furthermore, ASTER
also has a back-looking VNIR telescope with 15-m resolution.
Thus, stereoscopic VNIR images can be acquired at 15-m
resolution. In addition, emitted radiation measured at 90-m
resolution in five bands in the 8.125-11.65 um wavelength
region (Thermal Infrared - TIR). The swath width is 60 km, but
ASTER's pointing capability extends the total cross-track
viewing capability to 232 km. A very important aspect of the
EOS Program is the open availability of the data from all the
instruments including on-demand standard products in the low
costs. ASTER standard products include VNIR and SWIR
surface radiance and reflectance, brightness temperature at the
sensor, TIR surface radiance and emissivity, surface kinetic
temperature, decorrelation-stretch images and digital-elevation
models (DEM ).
Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has already in 1995 carried
out the prospective capability of ASTER sensor using simulated
data from AVIRIS airborne sensor [2]. Conclusions of the study
has shown that VNIR data are sensitive to the presence of iron
oxide minerals; the SWIR data highlight the presence and
differences of minerals with hydroxyl radicals and carbonates,
such as clays, alunite, and limestone; the TIR data are sensitive
to differences in silica-bearing rocks, either in the presence of
or in the absence of the other mineral constituents.
S
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Figure 3. Comparison of ASTER and LANDSAT ETM+
spectral resolution.
Several studies have been published during 2001 (Hewson,
2001) respectively 2003 (Rowan, 2003) on ASTER data
evaluation in test sites. Both studies compare precisely
geological mapped (by field survey and airborne hyperspectral
or multispectral sensors as AVIRIS, AMS-HyMap, Hyperion
etc.) areas to test ability of use of ASTER imagery.
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