685 
lltiples 
Leres, on 
i 1'explora- 
Ln sont 
)les. 
of an Earth Resources Information System, some of the major problems and tasks 
that remain, and my recommendations for their solution. The motivation and 
rationale for the use of MSS include higher information capacity than film, 
sensing outside the spectral region of photographic film sensitivity, and 
electronic recording. 
Stand der 
:e 
jrochen. Die 
iutet. 
m, wobei 
ltlichenden 
The objective of these information systems is to have fast, reliable, 
and accurate automatic procedures for extracting information about the amount, 
location, and condition of objects of user interest and to implement these 
techniques in a cost effective manner on an operational basis for data from 
aircraft and satellites — in short, to have a practical tool for planners 
and decision makers in many disciplines. 
jeitung, 
Vermessungen 
:erung, 
Llverarbeitung 
lswertungs- 
csamer 
Processing of multispectral scanner data is now and will remain for some 
time a "semi-automatic" process requiring a man-machine interaction to achieve 
the desired results of identifying objects and judging. However, one objec 
tive is to reduce the man-machine interaction (which slows the process) to an 
optimum point through displays and controls which do not unduly impede but 
allow the man to guide the processing. 
¡Überwachung 
Erfolge 
The rationale for automatic processing of multispectral scanner data are 
summarized as follows (Erickson, 1972): 
:h bei den 
m in den 
der 
Ltnutzmittel 
irarbeitungs- 
1. automatic processing can be done in quasi-real time, that is, before 
the information content of the data can significantly decay in value. 
2. automatic processing of large volumes of data can be accomplished more 
cost-effectively (not necessarily more cheaply) than manual processing and 
interpretation but requires non-general purpose computers for operational 
systems. 
.ng around 
lives 
of soil, 
ird the 
; its finite 
the last 
r ironment 
3. although the information volume of the desired kind may be small, 
the data volume is exceedingly high. Automating this data valume reduction to 
information frees people for creative tasks less well suited for machines. 
4. automatic processing gives a potential for a greater consistency of 
results with objective classification standards. Some would also mention 
higher accuracy here for automatic over manual processing. 
5. derived information from automatic interpretation is in a form for 
: on its 
rreparable 
a satellite 
0 years ago 
quick and easy integration with other data bases in automatic information 
systems such as automatic mapping and compilation of statistical records or 
summaries. 
6. multispectral scanner data is generated and recorded in electronic 
form intended for automatic processing in contrast to photography in which 
film is the recording medium (which has poor radiometric fidelity compared to 
that needed in automatic processing). 
nd hard- 
e context 
A multistage sampling technique is envisaged for some operational applica 
tions whereby an earth resource or land use inventory would be performed using