doi:10.1016/S0098-3004(99)00042-4
Copyright © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Computer-enhanced multispectral remote sensing data: a useful tool for the geological mapping of Archean terrains in (semi)arid environments
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Heiko Zumsprekel
, 
and Torsten Prinz
Geologisch-Palaeontologisches Institut der Westfaelischen-Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
Received 15 February 1998;
revised 30 September 1998;
accepted 30 September 1998.
Available online 21 February 2000.
Abstract
Computer-based remote sensing techniques offer a unique chance to analyze and map the surface geology of remote arid environments in a relatively short time and at low costs. On the basis of multispectral Landsat TM 5, panchromatic SPOT and aerial image scanning data, the lithological and structural characteristics of a part of the Archean Pilbara granite-greenstone terrain (3.5–2.8 Ga) in Western Australia have been analyzed by using complex mathematical image enhancement techniques. The application of a sophisticated image processing software on an adequate PC (Dual Pentium II, 300 MHz) was necessary for the file management of the datasets, the calculation of TM data ratios (R), principal components (PC) and selected color composites (CC) which have been found more appropriate for the geological interpretation at a regional scale. These low resolution, but multispectral data (e.g. color composites) have been merged with high resolution panchromatic images to obtain new, high resolution images without loss of multispectral information. The interpretation of the new data contribute to a more detailed geological mapping of selected test sites which was studied during a field campaign in 1997.
Author Keywords: Remote sensing; Granite-greenstone terrain; Pilbara Craton; Multispectral visualization; Spatial enhancement; Resolution merge
Fig. 1. Satellite image coverage of analyzed TM and SPOT data within the Pilbara region (Wodgina).
Fig. 2. A–C: Geological map of the Pilbara Craton (A) showing principal distribution of granitoid batholiths and supracrustal successions (modified after Hickman, 1990). Red frame indicates the location of the Landsat TM 5 subset (B, true color composite) which fits with coordinates of the Wodgina sheet (2655) of Fig. 1. Extension of the study (I) and test area (II) is also shown; latter one is displayed in a true color aerial photograph (C).
Fig. 3. Mean spectral features of selected rock types of the training area compared to the spectral TM sensibility over the region from 400 to 2500 nm.
Fig. 4. CC of the first three principal components derived from transformation of original TM bands, leading to a contrast-rich image of strongly decorrelated data.
Fig. 5. Intensity, hue and saturation (IHS) defined in RGB space (modified after Drury, 1993).
Fig. 6. CC TM-457 displayed in: (A) RGB space and (B) after transformation into IHS system. Especially spectrally dark lithologies of greenstones exhibit a brighter color range in the IHS color space.
Fig. 7. Multispectral image TM-541 (RGB) merged with aerial photograph of the training area, resulting in higher spatial resolution of 2 m per pixel.
Fig. 8. Multispectral image of merged data (TM-541 with SPOT) of the study area, displaying a spatial resolution of 10 m per pixel.
Fig. 9. Schematic geological map of the study area, based upon remote sensing analysis of TM and SPOT data, visualizing the distribution of main rocks units of the Pilbara Craton including structural features.
Table 1. Important characteristics of applied sensor systems and derived datasets
Table 2. Statistical parameters of the reflective TM data for the subscene
Table 3. Correlation (r) of the reflective TM data for the subscene
Table 4. OIF-ranking for 20 possible band combinations of reflective TM data for the subscene (no colors are designated)
Corresponding author. Fax: +49-251-83-33968; email: zumspre@uni-muenster.de
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