The application of LANDSAT-1 imagery for monitoring strip mines in the New River watershed in northeast Tennessee. Part 2. Final report

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7176607

Shahrokhi, F; Sharber, L A

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT imagery and supplementary aircraft photography of the New River drainage basin were subjected to a multilevel analysis using conventional photo-interpretation methods, densitometric techniques, multispectral analysis, and statistical tests to determine the accuracy of LANDSAT-1 imagery for measuring strip mines of common size. The LANDSAT areas were compared with low altitude measurements. The average accuracy over all the mined land sample areas mapped from LANDSAT-1 was 90%. The discrimination of strip mine subcategories is somewhat limited on LANDSAT imagery. A mine site, whether active or inactive, can be inferred by lack of vegetation, by shape, or image texture. Mine ponds are difficult or impossible to detect because of their small size and turbidity. Unless bordered and contrasted with vegetation, haulage roads are impossible to delineate. Preparation plants and refuge areas are not detectable. Density slicing of LANDSAT band 7 proved most useful in the detection of reclamation progress within the mined areas. For most state requirements for year-round monitoring of surface mined land, LANDSAT is of limited value. However, for periodic updating of regional surface maps, LANDSAT may provide sufficient accuracies for some users.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Univ., Tullahoma (USA). Space Inst.
• OSTI ID: 7176607
• Report Number(s): E-78-10032
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
AERIAL MONITORING
COAL MINES
MAPS
MINES
MINING
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
PHOTOGRAPHY
SATELLITES
SOUTHEAST REGION
SURFACE MINING
TENNESSEE
USA