Spectral characterization of desert surfaces in Kuwait by satellite data
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Citation
Abstract
This study is a part of an environmental impact assessment of
the Gulf War on the desert and the coastal zones of Kuwait. Due to
the appearance of many new surface features, a study was necessary
to characterize their spectral signatures as detected by Landsat
Thematic Mapper (TM) data. A sophisticated image analysis was
applied to the Landsat TM scene. An unsupervised classification
technique produced a thematic map of the area.
Data was collected on the ground at eighty sites in southeastern
Kuwait. A radiometer (SE-590) was used to identify the spectral
reflectance of desert surface features. A Global Positioning System
(GPS) reading on each site was also recorded to register accurately
the field observations on a specific pixel from over 72 million pixels
in the lower right scene of Kuwait.
Field data were collected on surface feature color, soil grain
stze, vegetation types and density, and the amount of oil or soot
contamination. Statistical correlation's and companson of Landsat
and the SE-590 measurements in the visible and near-infrared bands
describe the interaction between radiation and different desert
surfaces. The oil lakes class was identified to have the lowest
reflectance of all the classes. Brightness values gradually increase as
less oil, soot or desert vegetation is found. The highest brightness
value belongs to the class which represents active sand.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University
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This work is being made available in OpenBU by permission of its author, and is available for research purposes only. All rights are reserved to the author.