The author has identified the following significant results. Photointerpretation of temporally composited color Diazo transparencies of ERTS(LANDSAT) images is a practical method for detecting and locating levels of widespread defoliation. ERTS 9 x 9 inch images are essentially orthographic and are produced at a nearly constant 1:1,000,000 scale. This allows direct superposition of scenes for temporal composites. ERTS coverage provides a sweeping 180 km (110 mile) wide view, permitting one interpreter to rapidly delineate defoliation in an area requiring days and weeks of work by aerial surveys or computerized processing. Defoliation boundaries can be located on the images within maximum errors on the order of hundreds of meters. The enhancement process is much less expensive than aerial surveys or computerized processing. Maps produced directly from interpretation are manageable working products. The 18 day periodic coverage of ERTS is not frequent enough to replace aerial survey mapping because defoliation and refoliation move as waves

Kowalik, W. S.

Mcmurtry, G. J.

Petersen, G. W.

English

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is ^7.6- 1 0.0.1 5
I
g rim Report
ORSER-SSEL 'Technical Report 22-74
INTERPRETATION AND MAPPING OF GYPSY MOTH DEFOLIATION FROM
ERTS(LANDSAT)-1 TEMPORAL COMPOSITES*
W. S. Kowalik
	
"Made available under NASA inwsorogR
in the i nterest of early and wide dis-
seminati" of harsh Raaourees 3urwy
ProYnmi
""'Ormation and without liability
ERTS Investigation 08?
	
for ay I' •a rAide thereof."
Contract Number NAS 5-23133
INTERD"SCIPLINARY APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF ERTS DATA
WITHIN THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN
Resource Inventory, Land Use, and Pollution
Office for Remote Sensing of Earth Resources (ORSER)
Space Science and Engineering Laboratory (SSEL)
Room 219 Electrical Engineering West
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
Principal Investigators:
Dr. George J. McMurtry
Dr. Gary W. Petersen
N
Date: Jurie 19/5
*USER IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT RESULT
INTERPREIATION AND MAPPING OF
N76- 10547
(E76- 1 7015) 
 
GYPSY MOTH DEFOILATION FROM ER e
 (LANDS AT) -^
TEMPORAL COMPOSITES Interim RepoHC $3.25
	
Unclas
(Pennsylvania State Univ.) 12 p	 CSCL 02F G3/43 00015
1
i
r1
ABSTRACT
ORSE.R-SSEL Technical Report 22-74
1 NTF.RPRETAT I ON AND HAPP 1NG OF GYPSY MOTH DEFOL I AT ION FR(
TLMPORAL COMPOSITES
W. S. Kowjl lk
Two FRTS(LAN)SAT)-1 scenes of July 8, 1973, covering gypsy moth defoliated
tracts in eastern Pennsylvania were enhanced by an inexpensive &slid color
composite technique. Blue Ozalid transparencies of these channel 7 scenes
were superimposed over red Ozalid transparencies of October 11, 1972, channel
7 scenes,on which no gypsy moth defoliation is apparent. Superimposing the
red and blue transparencies results in color -addition to yield a reddish
purpl q where no visible tonal change has occurred, and causes red and blue
areas to appear where ~-)nal chanhe within the scenes has occurred.
Defoliation on the color temporal composites appears light blue in a reddish
violet background of healthy forest. Photointerpretation of the two temporal
composites at a scale of 1:1,000,000 yielded maps of heavy and light-to-moderate
defoliation. The interpretation indicates that approximately 164,800 acres were
heavily defoliated and another 213,800 acres were moderately defoliated on
July 8, 1973, within the area covered by the two images.
ORSER-SSEL Technical Report,.
	
I22-74	 ABSTRACT, line 2: "
.
..and inexpensive Ozalid color— "
The "0" was iett cif of "Ozalid."
	
P 22-74
	 page 4, paragraph 5: last amine should read, "Refoiiation
prior tc July 8
	
" F7._st word incorrectly shown as
"Defoliation,"
i
i
ORSER-SSEL Technical Report 22-74
INTERPRETATION AND MAPPING OF GYPSY MOTH DEFOLIATION
FROM ERTS(LA9DSAT)-1 TEMPORAL COMPOSITES
W. S. Kowalik
Gypsy moth defoliation is an increasingly serious problem in Pennsylvania.
'No successive summers of heavy defoliation can kill most hardwoods, ) and soft-
woods can be killed by a single defoliation. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
estimated that 857,000 acres of Pennsylvania forest were defoliated by gypsy
moths during the summer. of 1973, more than twice as much as was defoliated during
1972. 2
 Seventy-nine per cent of that area was heavily defoliated.
Controlling the spread of the gypsy moth is not feasible at present. 3 While
research into methods of control continues, foresters can only resort to defolia-
tion mapping and localized insecticide sprayings.
Accurate monitoring of defoliation is desirable for several reasons:
1. The location and estimation of tree mortality by mapping if
defoliation for successive years is an aid to planning conservation pro-
cedures.
2. With successive mapping, localities lik-ely to require spraying
as tb	 ifestation advances can be determined.
3. Accurate depiction of the extent of the defoliation illustrates
the magnitude of the problem and may accelerate basic research in control
of _he gypsy moth.
Currently, defoliation is mapped by observers from light aircraft. Williams
and Turner recently demonstrated the feasibility of mapping gypsy moth defoliation
by computer analysis of ERTS(LANDSAT)-1 digital data.` The present study employs
photointerpretation of color-enhanced ERTS-1 images to map defoliation-
Defoliation on 2RTS Images
Gypsy moth defoliation in eastern Pennsylvania was recorded by ERTS-1 on
July 7 and 8, 1973, about a week after peak defoliation. Two July 8 images
were used in this study (1350-15183 and 1350-15190; see Figure 1). The coinci-
dence of clear weather and the ERTS passes near the time of peak defoliation
was most fortunate.
i	 r
Mr. C. F. Withington of the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia,
supplied the Diazo printer for the initial stages of this project, Mr. D L,
Williams of the Department of Forestry at The Pennsylvania State University
at the time, and now of NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, supplied the ground
truth data. Support for the work was provided in part by NASA Contract
	 ?
NAS 5-23133.
2The defoliated areas ars visible on each of the four ERI'S multispectral
scanner bands. On black and white positiv f, transparencies of bands 4 and
5 (green and red wavelengths) defoliation appears lighter toned Trithin
darker healthy forest. It is more apparent on bands 6 and 7 (near infrared
waveler.gths), as dark tones within lighter tones of healthy forest. Apparently
forest floor moisture exposed in defoliated areas absorbed the near infrared
wavelengths causing dark tones on these images. Rainfall on the predominantly
poorly drained soils in the area during the week prior to July 8 may have con-
tribuced significantly to the dark tones on the near infrared images.*
Interpretation of defoliation from either the original black and white
positive transparencies or the standard NASA color composites is not straight-
forward. Defoliated tracts, urban areas, strip mines, and poorly drained areas
within the Scranton Wilkes-Barre coal field all have similar tones on the band
6 and 7 imr:ges. On individual transparencies of bands 4 and 5, defoliated
areas blend with. strip mines and urban anG agricultural areas. Defoliation on
the standard NASA color composites is not easily resolved from bordering agri-
cultural areas or from strip mines and the Scranton - Wilkes-Barre coal field.
Diazo Color Temporal Compositing
In an attempt to achieve an interprt.tation less speculative *han possible
with standard images, color temporal composites were made using an available
Ozalid printer and developer. Superposition of transparencies of the non-
defoliated scenes In one color over transparencies of the defoliated scenes
in anoth`r color codes the defoliation.
Where no visible tonal changes are apparent, superposition of two images
from different dates printed in different transparent color results in com-
positing of the colors to a continuum of intensities of a third color. Where
visible tonal change has occurred within an area, a color approaching one of
the two initial colors composited appears. Changes visible on positive trans-
parencies are expressed either as lighter tones, where previous dark areas
appeared; or as darker tones where formerly lighter areas appeared. Changes
visible on positive Diazo temporal composites will approach the color of
the transparency on which the changed areas appear darker, because the Diazo
process saturates dark areas in color. (This differs from color composite
renditions obtained with typical color additive viewers, in which color
saturates the light toned areas. 6) On band 5, for example, gypsy moth
defoliation appeared as lighter tones, whereas prior to the defoliation the
healthy forests appeared dark. Therefore, defoliation in the composite will
approach the color of the band 5 transpaienc )^ depicting healthy forests,
t
average of 0.65 inches
3:9 inches fell thro ,ign^ c
wet second half of June.
of rain fell on July 4 and 5, and an average of
eastern Pennsylvdr_ia on June 28 ­1 ?o of*or
3Technique
Color U + azo transparencies were made on a table top Arkwright Dia7o
Priiter and Developer (M)dels 202 and 101, respectively) ko iug GAF and
Escochrome color film
	
The Diazo machine produces color transparencies at
the scale of the original with no detectable loss of resolution.
After experimentation with colors, blue transparencies of thL two
defoliated July 8 band 7 scenes and red transparencies of two october 11
band 7 sce-2s were composited for interpretation of defoliation. Color
addition of primary red and blue results in violet, providing maximum sepa-
ration of areas of no change from the reds and blues of change.l areas.
Band 7 (near infrared) composites were chosen for interpretation because
they provided a clearer rendition of ,defoliated areas than band. 5 (red) com-
posites. Also, air noilution visible Dn the band ` imagc covering the area
east and southeast of Alleltown and Bethlehem masks forested land and could
be mistaken for defoliation in the temporal composites. No composites were
made of bands 4 or 6. If rainfall in the area prior co July 8 is causing the
dark tones of defoliation visible on bandF 6 and 7, then bands 4 or 5 may be
useful in future defoliateion interpretations.
Interpretatior.
The temporally composited depiction of the defoliation agrees very well
with spot sampled defoliation estimates in Monroe, Pike, and Northampton
Counties.* Very blue areas on the band 7 composites represent a range of
defoliation from approximately 70 to 100 percent, with al , average near 100
percent. These areas are defined as heavily defoliated un Figure 2 	 A color
continuum if light blue with increasing tinges of violet represent areas
ranging from 70 to 15 percent defoliation 	 These areas are identified as the
light to moderate defoliation class. Healthy forests and areas defoliated
less than 15 percent appear reddish violet on the composites.
All relative tonal changes between the two dates, mainly agricultural
field tonal changes and clouds and cloud shadows, are also evident on the
temporal composites. Clouds wero circled before interpretation, to avoid
confusion. Agricultural changes can general be eliminated on the basis of
field patternE.
Interpretation of the color temporal composites is much simpler than
interpretation of the original black and white positive transparencies or
the standard NASA color composites, Urban areas strip mines, the Scranton -
Wilkes-Barre coai field, and most agricultural areas appear as shades of
reddish violet cn the composites, whereas defoliation appears as shades of blue.
*Ground based estimates of defoliation were .:btained from plots on the East
Stroudsburg 7.5 minute quadrangle map near East Stroudsburg reservoir, from
the Skyt3p Quadrangle near Camp Girard, and from the Kunkletown and Windgap
Quadrangles on Chestnut and Bluo Mountains, supplied by the Pennsylvania
Bureau of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.
Nore'- -!at facing sides of mountains and valleys on the October 11 scenes
are somewhat bhadcwed, whereas oil 	 July 8 scenes ainiust no shadowing is
present. Shadowing tends to mask defoliation In the composites by coloring
defoliated areas mute vi3let than nonshaduwed areas. 	 the effec:b of shadowing
were considered and taken into account during interpretation
Mapping
Deioliated areas were traced from th? 1:1,000,000 scale can+Gsites under
10 power magnification unto a Mylar base map of Pennsylvania at the same scale.
The base map is fitted to a Lambert Conformal Conic Pro'ection, providing an
essentially orthographic view and permitting transfer of the information by
overlay of the satellite images.
The smallest individual defoliated areas defined cover about 50 acreu.
Boundaries of heavily defoliated areas can be located on the images within
approximately 200 meters: The 'ess clear lower boundary of the light-to-
moderately defoliated areas is thought to be located within approximately
300 meters The maximum error it, transferring the defoliated areas to the base
map is estimated at 500 meters
The interpretation indicates that on July 8, 1973 approximately 164,800
acres were heavily defoliated (70-100% defoliation) and approximately 213,800
acres (20-70%) were moderately defoliated within the area covered by the two
temporal composites. 	 (See Figure 2)
The Peunsyl.vania Bureau of Forestry estimated a greater acreage Gf
defoliation and a much larger percentage of heavy defoliation within the
area considered here. Ref.oliation prior to July 8 of defoliated areas
explain the discrepancy.
Costs
Mapping gypsy meth defoliaticn by the method described here is inexpensive.
The 9x9 inch ERTS images are available from the Geological Survey EROS data
center at Sl:,ux Falls, South Dakota, for $3.00 per image 	 Image costs in this
study were $24.00, although only $12.00 worth of images were required for the
final lnterpreLaticn	 In 20 hours experimentation with ERIS bands, film
colors, and Diazo machine exposure times, 36 pieces of Diazo film were
used. At 26(^ per sheet, film costs amounted to $9.36 	 Knowledge gained
about film colors, and an exposure time curve which has been empirically
derived, should reduce this time and cost in future work by a factor of three.
Checking the temporal composites with grcund truth information and interpreta-
ticn required 12 hours. The complete table top Diazo printer and developer
retails at $500. Operation costs cf the mac'iine are insignificant.
5Conclusions
Photointerpretatten of temporally comp,-sited color Diazo transparencies
of ERTs MANDSAT) images is a pcacticai method f,;r detecting and locating
levels of widespread d^foliatlon.	 Specifi,alty:
1, ERTS 9x9 inch images are essentially orthugraphic and are
produced at a nearly constant 1:1,000,000 scale. This allows direct
superp6sitlon cif scenes tc.z temporal ompuaftes. only minor correction
are required in transferring	 - data to orthographic base maps.
2. ERTS coverage provio	 sweeping 180 km (110 mile) wide view,
permitting c;ne interpreter to	 dly delineate defr,llaticn in an area
requiring days and weeks of work by aerial surveys ur computerized pro-
cessing. Operator variance present in aerial survey tt,apping methods is
eliminated here. Also, the photointerpreter need not be familiar with
local terrain, a requirement for efficient air surveys.
3. llefcitatian bjundaries can be located on the images within
maximum errors 3n the order of hundreds of meters. This accuracy
compares favorably with that a_hieved in aerial surveys dnd computer
analysts	 Enlargement cf the composites for interpretation at larger
scales wili al:ow greater accuracy in transferring data to base maps
tsar; achieved ht.rF
4. The enhancement process described here is much less expensive
than aerial surveys or computerized processing. Color additive viewers
are not required. ExpErimentation and production of the final inter-
pretation required ab3ur 32 hours work, less than $10.00 worth of film,
ar-+ $24.00 worth of irnages	 Knowledge gained in exprrfmcntatlon will
substantially reduce time and costs in future Iliazo experiments.
5> The maps produced directly from interpretation are manageable
working ptcducts
	
The information is presented in usable fc.rm.
6. The 18-day periodic coverage of ERTS is not frequent enough
to replace aerial survey mapping because defoliation and refoliation
move as waves, Satellite mapping of all areas heavily deioliate.d as
the waves move and peak would prjbably require cloud tree coverage
on a weekly basis.
ktt
References
1. Nichols, J, 0. (:961) The Gypsy Moth .n Pennsylvania, 1'a. Dept. of
Agriculture, Mist Bulletin No, 4404,
2. Nichols, J. 0. (1973) Fcrest Pest Report - July, 1973, Pa. Dept. of
Environmental Resources, Bureau of Forestry.
3. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (1973) Reasons Why
Massive Chemical Spraying Programs to Combat the Gypsy Moth are not Recom-
menced, Bureau of Forestry,
4. Williams, D. 0. and B. J. Turner (1974) Computer Analysis and Mapping
of C _!,ypsy Moth Defoliation Levels in Northeastern Pennsylvania Using ERTS-1
Data, ORSER-SSEL 'technical Report 5-74, Office for Remote Sensing of Earth
Resources, 'the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.
5. Environments: Data Service (1973), Climatological Data, Pennsylvania,
U.S. Dept. of Commer_e, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Vol. 78, Nos. 6, 7 (June, July).
6. Deutsch, M., F H Ruggles, P. Guss, and E. Yost (1973), Mapping of
the 1973 Mississippi River Floods from the Earth Resources Technology
Satellite (ERTS), Remote Sensing and Water Resources Management Proc.
No. 17.
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Interpretation and mapping of gypsy moth defoilation from ERTS (LANDSAT)-1 temporal composites

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