Surface reflectance correction and stereo enhancement of Landsat thematic mapper imagery for structural geologic exploration
Structural remote sensing analysis techniques for exploration have focussed on mapping of crustal fracture zones which can provide pathways for mineralization as well as permeability for movement and/or accumulation of oil, gas, and geothermal fluids. These analyses have relied heavily on manual lineament analysis of enhanced imagery. These image products contain shadow effects that preferentially enhance or suppress lineaments. This study was conducted to evaluate a digital technique for surface reflectance correction for shadows and subsequent stereo enhancement to provide shadow corrected stereo models for structural geologic exploration. Image products were produced from digital Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data and a digital elevation model (DEM). The Paiute Ridge quadrangle, Nevada, was selected as a test area for the analysis. Landsat TM data were registered to the DEM and processed to reduce topographic shadowing effects. A Minnaert reflectance model was used to approximate the topographic lighting effects. This reflectance model provided quantitative evaluation of each pixel in the image and was directly used to create a shadow image. These reflectance values were utilized to remove shadow effects from the TM data to produce the corrected surface reflectance. The DEM was used to stereo enhance the shadow corrected TM image. Fracture orientations determined from the original TM and shadow images show similar bias resulting from solar illumination. This bias was not present in the results from the shadow corrected and the corrected stereopair images, with the best correlation to the trends observed in the field data given by the latter.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA); Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA). Dept. of Geology
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6932517
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-13832; CONF-8609200-1; ON: DE87003095
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. thematic conference on remote sensing for exploration geology, Reno, NV, USA, 29 Sep 1986; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Landsat 4 thematic mapper imagery: improved tool for geologic mapping in eastern overthrust
Estimating net solar radiation using Landsat Thematic Mapper and digital elevation data