gion, Central Sinai Peninsula, using differ-
ent remote sensing techniques
2. General Characteristics
El Hasana region is located in the central
part of Sinai Peninsula, between Latitudes
300 00" and 300 30' N, and Longitudes 330
35' and 340 05' E, Fig.(1).
The central part of Sinai consists of sub-
horizontal Mesozoic and Tertiary sedi-
ments, creating the plateau of Gebel El Tih
and Gebel Egma which are drained by the
northerly flowing affluents of Wadi El Ar-
ish. North of latitude 300 N, the topography
comprises low alluvial plains which are
broken by large uplifted Mesozoic domes
and anticlines , Said (1990). Wadi El Arish
covers a pronounced area in the study re-
gion. It crosses a number of mountain
blocks cutting deep narrow passages called
daika; otherwise it cuts its channel through
Pleistocene sediments which are of flu-
viatile origin. According to Sneh (1982)
the sedimentary features indicate a long
history of aridity extending into the Pleis-
tocene.
The climatological conditions of Sinai Pe-
ninsula play an important role in shaping
Sinai's landscape and in controlling the
ecology of the peninsula. Extreme aridity,
long hot rainless summer periods, and mild
winters in which storms rarely occur are
the main climatological condition of the
Peninsula. !
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rig. (1): Location of the study area, El-Hasana,
Central Sinai, Site(1) - Talaat El-Badan,
Site (2) - Wadi El-Bruk - Wadi El Arish
2
3. Procedures
1. Interpertation of Landsat TM, False
Colour Composite image (bands 2,4 and
7), at a scale of 1:100,000. Landsat
Scene characteristic are (Path:175,
Row: 39, Thematic Mapper Sensor,
Date: 24/12/86).
2. Soil sampling, laboratory analysis, and
classification were carried out
acording to USDA (1984).
3. Image processing was performed
through the following steps:
- Selecting two sites in El-Hasana -
region, with high agricultural
potentiality as pilot areas,
- Filtering and Principal Component
Analysis (PCA) technique have been
performed to delineate wadis
boundaries from the surrounding
uplands,
- Digitizing the wadis boundaries in
the two sites,
- Applying the unsupervised
clas sifica tion to site 1
(Talaat El-Badan area) with the
following parameters (bands selected
were 2, 3, 4, and 7; minimum distance
between clusters = 5; Maximum
allawable cluster radius = 7).
- Correlating the ground truth data
with the out put results.
The same technique was performed to
site 2 (Wadi El Bruk - Wadi Al Arish
area).
The classified soil units were
characterized and mapped.
4. Results & Discussion
4.1 Landsat image interpretation:
The interpretation of false colour com-
posite image, bands 2, 4, 7, fig. (2) enable
in producing a phasiographic map of El-
Hasana region at a scale of (1:100,000).
The terrain analysis of the studied area re-
veals that the main landform units were;
a) desert domes and hills, such as Gebel
Yelleqg (1090m), Gebel Halal (890m)
Gebel El-Monsharh (567m), Gebel El-
Bruk (403m), and Gebel El- Hasana
(349m);
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996
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