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Figure 6 presents the results of the application of the Fourier bandpass
classifier to the central part of the SIR-A image of Belize. This area was
resampled so that pixels represent 100X100 m areas. The classification map
shows that the mountainous area Is easily distinguished from the smoother : B
lowland areas. The textural signature of this unit (unit 2) shows large 1982,
variance at all frequencies with a slight drop in variance at higher scatte
frequencies. The smooth granitic areas are also well delineated as unit 5,
and have low variance In all the bandpasses, with a slight rise at higher B
frequencies. The map does not discriminate well between the karst and Its discri
surroundings. Most of the karst area is classified in unit 1 which has an
intermediate variance that steadily rises with increasing frequency. The D
karst is often misclassified, however, as unit 3 which has a similar Seasat
signature. A better selection of band widths and positions may provide better
discrimination between the karst and other smooth areas. H
Proc.
The Fourier bandpass classifier was also applied to the same area in the
Seasat image of Belize (Figure 7). This area was also resampled to a 100X100 e
m pixel size. The results are nearly identical to those for the SIR-A Image. sensin
The mountainous area is well-delineated, while the smoother karst, granitic,
and marine sediments are classified into the same unit. The mountainous areas P
have the same type of textural signature as in the SIR-A map: relatively high Assoc.
variance, with a slight drop-off at higher frequencies. Similarly, the karst
and other smoother areas of unit 1 have a similar signature as in the SIR-A
map: rising variance with increasing frequency. Differences In the Seasat
map include the discrimination of the mountainous area into two units (2 and
3). This corresponds to a distinction between the metamorphic rocks, mapped
as unit 2, and the continental sediments, mapped as unit 3. Another
difference In the Seasat-derived texture map Is the Inclusion of the higher
relief karst areas into unit 2. This is a result of the higher sensitivity of
the Seasat system to low slope angles. Some of the misclassification on this
map may also be improved with a better choice of bandpasses, especially at
higher frequencies.
CONCLUSIONS
The techniques discussed here are being developed to aid in the geologic
interpretation of SAR images. The application presented here is In an area of
heavy tropical vegetation, where very little other data can be obtained
directly from remote sensing images. As understanding of the relationships
between Image texture, topography, Iithology, geomorphology, and climate
Improves, textural information from SAR images may be used for the
discrimination of units as well as the identification of rock types. An
active program is being pursued at JPL to integrate textural Information from
radar images directly with backscatter data from those same Images, and with
compositional information derived from visible-near Infrared sensors such as
Landsat (eg. D.L. Evans, this volume). The role of quantitative textural
information in this type of multisensor analysis promises to be significant.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper benefitted from discussions with M. I. Daily, Ph. Rebil lard,
W.D. Stromberg, and especially D.L. Evans. Image processing was done at the
Image Processing Laboratory, JPL. The research described here was carried out
at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under
NASA contract NAS 7-100.
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