An Evaluation of Multispectral and Multi-Emulsion Aerial Photography for Soils, Vegetation and Land use Mapping

  • E.V. Brack

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy

Abstract

This thesis evaluated multispectral and multi-emulsion (i.e. false
colour, true colour and panchromatic) photography for various types of
earth resources survey, primarily soil survey. Two test areas in upland
Britain were used, one in Cumbria and one in North Yorkshire.

Only one set of multispectral photographs became available, covering
the area in Cumbria, at 1:15,000 scale. False colour vertical aerial
photographs of both areas were taken at two different seasons (October/
November 1973 and May 1974), also at 1:15,000. The available panchromatic
photographs were at different scales and dates. The multispectral
photography was analysed using a stereoscope, and an additive viewer, and
false colour photography was analysed using a stereoscope. Attempts were
made to analyse the tones on the multispectral photography by densitometry,
and on the false colour photography by densitometry and by the ISCC-NBS
centroid colour charts. The lack of success of these experiments indicated
that the methods could not be considered operational.

It was found that soils could not be mapped directly from aerial
photographs, whatever type of emulsion was used, ant it was recommended that
panchromatic aerial photography be continued to be used for soil surveying.
The multispectral photography had too many disadvantages to be of use for
many types of survey and it is possible that these defects are inherent in
the multispectral system. False colour photography was found to be useful
and, on the whole, superior to both panchromatic and multispectral emulsions
‘for vegetation and land use mapping. However, it is important to choose
the appropriate time of year for aerial photography and the use of ground
photography is recommended to help predict the correct time of year for
aerial survey and to monitor closely changes in crops and vegetation.
Date of Award1975
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Aston University

Keywords

  • multispectral
  • multi-emulsion
  • aerial photography
  • soils
  • vegetation and land use mapping

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