Space images became indispensable for ge-
ographic research and thematic mapping.
Special scientific-metodics manuals in
the form of atlases of
prepared in order to provide tneir more
Space images are
deep and variable use. Geographers team
of the Moscow State University together
with Utne Space Research Institute Acade-
my of Sciences in cooperation witu other
organisations are working at a series of
such atlases. Three main things: image -
methods of interpretation - results -
comprise the base of materials presenta-
tion. Methods of interpretation include
visual interpretation and automatized
one; methodics recommendations are given
for different field of thematic investi-
gation and map compilation. Two major at-
lases have been published already and
the third is being prepared. The first
two voiumes were devoted to multiband
images processing, wbich are new kinds of
remote sensing materials widely distribu-
ted due to cosmic research work. They
were prepared in the international coope-
ration within the frame of "Intercosmos",
published by "Nauka" (Moscow) and "Acade-
mie Verlag" (Berlin) publishing houses in
three languages: Russian, German and Eng-
lish. The Atlases received approval in
the world press and are widely used for
training of specialists in remote sensing
The first volume of the "Atlas of inter-
pretation of multispectral aerospace pho-
tographs. Methods and results" deals with
Space photographs and based on high qua-
lity materials received by means of the
MKF-6 camera, worked out by specialists in
GDR and USSR. llethods of multispectral
images interpretation are presented in it
- successive interpretation of series in
different bunds, comparative interpreta-
tion using remote sencing objects spectral
signature. Advantage of multispectral me-
thod of survey for investigations and map
compilation of different natural and eco-
nomic objects is examplited by 10-12 sta-
ndard territories in the USSR and GDK.
These investigation include the following
fields of geographical research and thema-
213
tic maps compilation: shallow-water shel-
ves Sea-bed relief explorations, investi-
gations of submarine vegetation, submarine
landseapes; terrestial relief and tecto-
nies studies, glacial and hydrologic stu-
dies - glacistion, stream processes, sedi-
ments flow of rivers flowing into water
basins investigations; landscape, soil-
vegetation cover research and map compi-
lation; natural regionalisation; agricul-
tural research - land use and agricultu-
ral plants maps compilation, settlements
and types of settlements distribution in-
vestigations; antropogenic environmental
impact and nature conservations studies.
Methods of interpretation and map compi-
lation of these objects are examplified
by the north-eastern Caspean sea, coasts
of the Baltic and the sea of Okhotsc, Ce-
ntral Yakutia, the Western Baikal area,
the Pamir-Alay mountains chain, the South
-Eastern Kazakhstan and the Middle Asia,
the central part of GIK.
Original methods of multispectral image
processing are recommended for each of
the directions of investigations, compri-
sed by the Atlas subjects. Methods for
both terrestial and shallow water basin
natural resources studies are presented.
Multispectral images for the latter give
especially valuable data.
The second volume of the Atlas is based
on multispectral scanner images of high
resolution recived by scanner system "Fra-
gment' from the satellite "Meteor-30", It
illustrates broad possibilities of thema-
tic multispectral scanner images interpre-
tation and diversity of methods and means
of processing used for this purpose, be-
ginning with visual interpretation up to
automatised map compilation. Since mate-
rials of operational scanning survey, re-
ceived in digital form, are intendent for
computor processing, automatic images in-
terpretation methods and objects classi-
fications in the course of thematic map
conpilation are presented in more details
in this volume than in the first one. Se-
