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Generalised land-use mapping from LANDSAT imagery

University of British Columbia

Generalised small-scale land-use maps are a useful tool in regional planning. However, their compilation by conventional methods is too time consuming to permit their widespread employment. Remote sensing technology, such as LANDSAT imagery, suggests an alternative method by which compilation and updating can be more conveniently done. The objective of this study is to investigate the advantages and limitations of compiling such maps from LANDSAT images. The study adopted the well used "training set - test set" approach in remote sensing experiments. An imaged area was used as the "training site". It was ground checked to obtain a working knowledge of LANDSAT image signatures. Using this information, signatures of a similiar region recorded in the same image (the test site) were interpreted and field-verified. The interpretation was guided by a dichotomous interpretation key developed for this study instead of the customary machine data processing. The verified manuscript became the basis of a land-use map. Generalisation as a cartographic principle and as a graphic technique were applied to define the scope of the study and to achieve the desired effect for the final map. It was concluded that LANDSAT images can be used to compile generalised small-scale land-use maps. Further refinement in the technique and more experience in this alternative approach were deemed necessary.

Text

2010-03-09

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/21693

Geography

University of British Columbia

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