Abstract
This paper describes the application of digitally enhanced Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery to spectral discrimination of terrain types in a semi-arid area containing a variety of rocks and hydrated mineral deposits. Single band contrast stretched TM images, colour composites, band difference, principal component and hue-composite images have been used for clay mineral and gypsum identification and general lithological mapping.
A number of new image processing techniques have been used in this study. These include Balance Contrast Enhancement Technique (BCET), statistical assessment for colour composite band selection (IOBS) and Hue Image Colour Composition (HRGB). Hue colour composite images have been classified to produce simple combined solid and drift geological maps of parts of the Cabo Gata Volcanic Belt.
Using the Rodalquilar Mine area as a ‘control site’ the enhanced images have been successfully used to identify areas of horticultural crops and relatively dense natural vegetation. The colour composite images with statistically lowest inter-band correlations is a TM band 5/4/1 combination. After appropriate contrast enhancement, this image is the most useful for rock and vegetation mapping. Individual specialized enhancement methods including principal components and hue colour composite images identify kaolinite-illite hydrothermal alteration, bentonite clays, and gypsum. Groups of mafic (andesitic) and less mafic (dacitic) volcanics, Miocene limestones and other Tertiary strata and superficial deposits have been separated in classified hue images.
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References
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Moore, J.M., Guo, L.J. (1990). Image enhancement of epithermal gold deposit alteration zones in southeast Spain. In: Remote sensing: an operational technology for the mining and petroleum industries. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9744-4_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9744-4_6
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