The thematic mapper simulator (TMS) flown by the U-2/ER-2 aircraft is being used as a surrogate for LANDSAT-4TM data. Progress is reported on spectral data acquisition including TMS, color infrared high altitude aerial photography, and LANDSAT 3 MSS and ground data collection to support classification and testing. A test site in San Joaquin County was selected for analysis

Colwell, R. N.

English

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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19830013192 2020-03-21T03:38:13+00:00Z
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r	 =^	 REMOTE SENSING RESEARCH FOR AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
170^^D
QNASA Cooperative Agreement NCC 2-215cu
Principal Investigator: Robert N. Colwell
E
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E	 Remote Sensing Research Program 	 a	 '^ W r fp s,
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Louisa H. Beck
Paul R. Ritter
Randall W. Thomas 	 FNO""
Sharon L. Wall (Project Manager 	 N HESS pEP^
Semi-Annual Progress Report
1 August 1982 - 31 January 1983
Space Sciences Laboratory
University o f California, Berkeley
UNIVFRSITY JF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
,	 1
Of	 I
REMOTE SENSING RESEARCH FOR AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC 2-205
Principal Investigator: Robert N. Colwell
Remote Sensing Research Program
Louisa H. Beck;
Paul R. Ritter
Randall W. Thomas
Sharon L. Wall (Project Manager)
Semi-Annual Progress Report
1 August 1982 - 31 January 1983
Space Sciences Laboratory
University of California, Berkeley
oftmitIAL PAM IS
AF pooR QUALM
REMOTE SENSING RESEARCH FOR AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS
I. Introduction
Since August 1, 1982, the University of California at Berkeley has been
cooperating with NASA/Ames Research Center on a variety of research tasks of
mutual interest. Each group has provided a unique contribution 'o a varied
series of on-going research items including:
1) Landsat Thematic Mapper/Thematic Mapper Simulator research,
2) Inventory design work for the Idaho Department of Water Resources,
3) Organization and presentation of results for a final evaluation of
research conducted on the estimation and mapping of irrigated land and 	 r
crop type in California, and
4) Development of a microprocessor image display and software package.
II.  progress on the Experimental Design Component
A. Sub-Task l - Landsat Thematic Mapper
The role Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data will play in agriculture is in
the initial research stage. Improved measurement of small fields, separation
of irrigated and non-irrigated crops and the differentiation of crops previously
indistinguishable are important topics the improved band widths and spatial
resolution of TM may provide. Given the relatively limited access to real TM
data, we are cooperating with NASA/Ames on research using Thematic Mapper
Simulator (TMS) flown by the U-2/ER-2 aircraft as a surrogate for Landsat-4TM
data. When TM data becomes available we will have had the opportunity to
research, classify and test similar data and identify both problems and
promises inherent in the new sensor.
Progress during this reporting period has concentrated on spectral data
acquisition including TMS, color infrared high altitude aerial photography and
Landsat 3 MSS and ground data collection to support classification and testing.
Selection of a test site in San Joaquin County for detailed analysis has also
been completed. Each of these topics is discussed below.
{	 1. Spectral Data Acquisition
During 1982, several types of data were acquired for portions of the
Central Valley. Included were TMS (12 channels), CIR Highflight photography
(1:130,000-scale), and Landsat 3 MSS CCT's (with associated imagery). Al-
though data were acquired for Colusa, Yolo, Napa, and San Joaquin counties,
work centered on portions of San Joaquin county where an extensive network of
ground data observations had been maintained throughout the growing season.
Table 1 indicates the data type and date of acquisition for the San Joaquin
area. Figure 1 shows the approximate location of the TMS, and ground data
collection transects.
2. Ground Data Collection
In support of the spectral data, an extensive ground data collection effort
was developed and maintained by personnel from RSRP and NASA/Ames-Technicolor
Government Services. The two types of transects used in San Joaquin county
are described below.
a. 18-day transect
This transect, laid out and maintained by personnel from RSRP, was
designed to sample maximum crop variation in concert with Landsat 3
overpasses. Fields were selected on different major soil types, and
included variation within crop type as well as variation between crops.
In all, 72 fields were monitored every 18 days from April to December,
1982, The types of data collected included:
crop type
irrigation practice
row width
row direction
soil moisture
percent canopy cover
weediness
crop biostage
plant height
planting/emergence/harvest dates (if observed)
other factors that might contribute to spectral response
Examples of the initial and periodic observation forms are shown in Figures
2a and 2b.
-2-
-3-
TABLE 1
SAN JOAQUIN SPECTRAL DATA SET
1982
3/06
TMS CIR
	 MSS
X
4/22 X
6/04 X
6/22 X X
6/23 X
7/14 X
8/04 X
8/15 X
8/16
8/25 X
9/07 X
9/10 X
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b. wall-to-wall transects
Personnel from RSRP and NASA/Ames-Technicolor Government Services
collected wall-to-wall field data or two lengthy transects on three
separate dates. Both transects were located in the area of Jack Tone
Road, east of Stockton. The types of data that were collected were
nearly identical to those observed on the 18-day transect. A sample of
one of the wall-to-wall observation forms is shown in Figure 3.
In all, over one thousand field observations were made throughout
San Joaquin County during 1981. A breakdown of crop type by transect
is shown in Table 2.
4. Initial Test Site
For purposes of intensive analysis and research, an initial test site has
been selected in San Joaquin County. This site consists of a swath along Jack
Tone Road, starting just north of Eight Mile Road as one road and running south
to Ripon. The site is approximately 23 miles long, and 8-9 miles wide.
B. Sub-Task 2 - State and Local Resource Assessment
Significant potential exists for the application of remote sensing techniques
in renewable resource assessment at the state level. The development of large-
area, remote sensing-aided inventory procedures with an emphasis on the experi-
mental design and sampling aspects is an area we continue to address in a variety
of proJects. Currently, in conjunction with NASA/Ames Research Center, we are
working with the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) in designing an
agricultural crop-type classification and inventory procedure for that state.
This is to be done using a recently completed 28 class land use inventory of the
Snake Plain Aquifer in southern Idaho derived from the digital classification of
Landsat MSS data (1980) as input to U.C. Berkeley's Survey Planning Model.
Progress to date follows.
Several meetings were conducted with NASA/Ames, and Technicolor Government
Services (TGS) personnel in consultation with IDWR during the past six months.
These exchanges were used to define the plan for development of a Landsat-aided
crop inventory system in Idaho. Particular attention was focused on defining
the inventory components subject to tests and the method by which these tests
will be performed.
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CROP IDENTIFICATION CODES GROUND COVER CODES
CODE CROP CODE PERCENT COVER
AN Alfalfa 1 0 - 20
BR Barley 2 20 - 50
CR Corn 3 50 - 75
CT Cotton 4 75 - 100
DB Dry Beans 5 not observed
GR Grain (undifferentiated)
MP Mixed Pasture
OT Oats
OR Orchard
WFEDiNF55 CODES
RI Rice
50 Sugdr Beets CODE CONDITION
5F Safflower 1 none or few
SR Sorghum
2 moderate
SU Sunflowers 3 heavyTO Toniatocs
not observed
VY Vineyards
WH Wheat
SURFACE MOISTURE CODES
CODE	 CONDITION
1	 dry
2	 moist
1	 wet
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5	 standing witer/irrigated
6	 not observed
ROW DIRECTION
CODE
	
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ORI(A NAi. PAGE 11
or pOOR QUALM
It was agreed that the first step in this effort will be the use of the
results of the 1980 Idaho crop group classification as a planning base for
the definition and test of more advanced techniques during 1983. Subsequent
discussion was directed to this task. The approach adopted is to use the
U.C. Berkeley Survey Planning Model (SPM) to evaluate acre?.ge estimated
variance and cost resulting from alternative stratification strategies and
t
sample unit sizes. The SPM input data was defined and generated by NASA/
Ames, TGS and the Idaho DWR. These data were to include the IDWR 1980
Landsat class map, sampling strata (those used by the IDWR in their 1980
inventory and those used at present by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Statistical Reporting Service) registered to the class map, crop acreage
means and variances for each stratum, expected ground sample unit measurement
costs by stratum, and expected Landsat-to-ground correlations by crop type or
crop group by stratum.
At present, preparations are being made by U.C. Berkeley, TGS and
NASA/Ames personnel to run the SPM on three representative study sites within
the Snake River Plain in Idaho. These runs are scheduled for the March-early
April, 1983 period. Results from the SPM analysis of the 1980 data set are
expected to enable the design of a sample frame for a test of more advanced
inventory techniques over three or four test sites during the remainder of
1983.
III. Progress on the Evaluation Component
Considerable effort was expended during this reporting period on the
organization and presentation of results of the "Irrigated Lands Assessment
for Water Management" Joint Research Project (NASA Cooperative Agreement
NCC 2-54) for final evaluation. The Final Review was held at the Asilomar
Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California on September 21-24, 1982.
Seventy people from California state government, NASA, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Interior, universities and private corporations
attended and participated in the review. Presentations at the review were made
by personnel from the University of California (Berkeley and Santa Barbara),
NASA/Ames, NASA/Headquarters, TGS and the California Department of Water
Resources.
-10-
ORiGINAL PAGE
OF POOR QUALITY
Major topics discussed a: the Final Review were 1) project ovepview,
2) historical perspective on the project's development, 3) manual analysis
of irrigated land (including sampling design, sample segment allocation,
stratification, Landsat and ground measurement, estimation procedures and
final evaluation and recorrrnendation for an operational system), 4) digital
analysis of irrigated land (including techniques and results of Tulare and
Sacramento Basin Test sites, evaluation and recommendations for an operational
system), 5) techniques and results of the manual small grains mappin g procedure,
6) digital analysis for multicrop estimation and mapping (including small
grains procedure, a case history of Tulare County work, discriminant analysis
of Fresno County results, classification procedures in Fresno County), and
7) a summary of the Irrigated Lands Assessment for Water Management project
"where we were to where we are, what we learned", 8) California Department of
Water Resources perspective and evaluation, 8) future work (outlining NASA/
USDA/DWR/U.C. Berkeley Cooperative research, 1982 ground data collection,
Thematic Mapper/Thematic Mapper Simulator research topics, new hardware and
software developments) and 9) group evaluation and discussion.
IV. Progress on the Microprocessor Image Display and Softwa re Package
Recently, NASA/Ames and U.C. Berkeley have acquired new, virtually iden-
tical microprocessor-based computer systems (MIDAS). Image processing software
needs to be installed on the new system either by implementing some existing
software package or by developing a new package. There is a need to provide
something quickly so the new hardware can be used in the near future and work
must begin on a more comprehensive, complete system that will be fully oper-
ational during 1985. Personnel at NASA/Ames and U.C. Berkeley have, between
them, many years of experience writing image processing and display software
for use in geographic information systems. The Universiy of California
personnel have special expertise in the development of "user friendly" soft-
ware for research in remote sensing.
Since January 1, 1983, UCB and NASA/Ames personnel have been working to-
gether to` produce the image processing and display software package for the
new microprocessor system. Work in this first month has concentrated on a
review of currently available software packages (EDITOR, ELAS, ------), dis-
cussion on either modifying one of these existing programs or writing something
.,11—
a	
ORIGMAL• PAGE iS
OF POOR QUALrTY
•	 new and discussion of the programming language to be used. Several meetings
between the cooperators have been held to discuss these issues as well as
initiate thinking on the long term objectives.
V. Summary and Future Work
The TM/TMS research has concentrated on collecting and preparing a
detailed ground data set over San Joquin County, acquiring and pre-processing
Thematic Mapper Simulator data for 4 date-periods and selecting a test site
for detailed analysis. Future work will be devoted to the actual testing,
classification analysis and evaluation of the TMS data. Work with the Idaho
Department of Water Resources has centered on defining a plan for development
of a Landsat-based crop inventory system. The focus has been on defining
inventory components to be tested and test methodologies. In the next report-
ing period UCB's Survey Planning Model will be run on three test sites; the
results of these runs will enable the design of a sample frame for future
classification and estimation to proceed. The organization and presentation
of resul`i from the Irrigated Lands Assessment for Water Management JRP was
hP^fd	 Asi lomar in September, 1982. This review and evaluation session was
the official final presentation of research results developed over the past
seven years in the "Irrigated Lands" series of NASA awards to the University
of California. The microprocessor image display and software package work
offically began only one month ago. Research has been confined to studying
available packages, deciding on modifications and new software, programming
languages and discussing long term planning objectives. The next six months
to one year will see significant development of this task.


Remote sensing research for agricultural applications

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