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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #112556
Title: DISTINGUISHING ECOLOGICAL GROUND CONDITIONS WITH A VIDEO SYSTEM WITH VISIBLE/NIR/MIR SENSITIVITY

Author
item Everitt, James
item YANG, CHENGHAI - TX A&M EXT. SERV-WESLACO
item Escobar, David
item Davis, Michael

Submitted to: Geocarto International
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Interest in the use of airborne videography as a remote sensing tool has greatly expanded over the past decade. A 3-camera video system capable of stimulating Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery was evaluated for distinguishing among a diversity of ecological and ground conditions in a rangeland area in southern Texas. The video system was useful for differentiating among a diversity of cover types including brushlands, grasslands and wetlands. Computer analysis of the imagery indicated the potential to quantify many of the ecological variables. An accuracy assessment performed on the classified image showed an overall accuracy of 85%. The video imagery was also useful for interpreting the coarser resolution satellite imagery. These findings should be of interest to rangeland resource managers.

Technical Abstract: This paper reports on the application of an airborne digital video imaging system with visible red (R) (0.625-0.635 um), near-infrared (NIR) (0.845- 0.857 um), and mid-infrared (MIR) (1.631-1.676 um)spectral sensitivity for distinguishing among a diversity of ecological ground conditions in a rangeland area in southern Texas. The system produces false color imaging similar to that of the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite bands 5, 4, 3. Imagery from this system was useful for differentiating among a diversity of cover types including brushlands, grasslands, and wetlands. Computer analysis of the imagery showed that many of the ecological variables could be quantified. An accuracy assessment performed on the classified image showed an overall accuracy of 85%. The imagery was also useful for interpreting the coarser resolution TM. Ground radiometric reflectance measurements were made on various ecological ground types to assist in interpreting the imagery.