The author has identified the following significant results. The stereo cover of the Skylab photos, their clarity, and their resolution put them far above the ERTS imagery not only in distinguishing between patterns but also in determining the nature of the country. The following land systems: (1) plains with sand dunes; (2) ridges, foothills, and alluvial plains; (3) dune-covered country with stony hills; and (4) alluvial plains were indistinguishable on the ERTS imagery. However, the same places are clearly distinguishable on the Skylab photos, together with the character of the dunes (parallel, reticulate, or irregular)

Maffi, C. E.

Perry, W. J.

Simpson, C. J.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

8r "mhee a sfidei E 7.4 - 1 0.7 4.4r the interest of ear!y and wide dis- •. 
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Sserni: ti0r! of Earth Resources Survey
Program information and withou AUSTRLI COITTEE FOR ERTS
for any use ' there ,j" ut a l
k11YLAB PROG3RAM QUARTERLY PROGRESS LEPORT, MAY -JULY ?17+
GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
1. Title: A study of the usefulness of Skylab EREP data for earth
resources studies in Australia.
2. NASA IIQ proposal identification number: SR557
Mm U 3. Accomplishments: The Australian Government contractor for
u ro photographic processing was able to supply coloured and black and Vwhite
photographs of the SL-3 mission, 5190 A cameras. on 11 June and 4 July
respectively. The order was placed with the official contractor in mid-
January, 1974.
Colour and black and white prints from S190B camneras on the same
04 a) mission were supplied by the contractor on 7 June. The order was placed in
rU P 1-4 -
0 P o early February.
W 1 ' Transparent positive copies of 6 scenes from each of the 6 S190A
W 0) cameras taken on 14 December, 1973 during the SL-4 mission ware received on
c 2 July 1974. All of the scenes appear to have from 50% to 60' cloud cover.
coo*
S This original material was sent to the processing contractor in early July4H
4 C4 -- = 1974. Transparent positive copies of 9 photographs from one of the S190B
i P4 cameras taken on the same mission vere received on 29 July 1974. Several of
z ( the frames have extensive cloud cover; this material was sent for cop yg in
a I -u early August 1974.
r o 4M Results: Owing t the late arrival- of the phoographs from the
contractor, only a brief appraisal has been made to date. All the phoograr s
examined are from SL-J3 REPRODUCIBILITY OF Thx
4.1. Canberra test area ORIGINAL PAGE IS POOR
S190B3 photography:
hY ames i-1i , 14, 145 colour pos tive tr aearencies at : 1:1 000 ) 0 ce.
Cloud cover: about 10%
Cul.tural detail: all main roads, many m:ior roads a.d n.me tracks are vis:i,:
,ajor buildings can be distingu shed and to.ns are readily idet.ifid.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740025707 2020-03-23T04:32:43+00:00Z
-2-
I"egetation: natural vegetation can be easily separated from grassland; some
information related with type and condition of grass can be interpreted.
Drainage: a large amount of information on stream networks can be obtained,
Incised streams only 200m long and about 100m apart can be detected.
Geology: Linear features, such as faults, weathered joints and some bedding
trends are well displayed.. At least one circular structure of 6 km diameter
(which as far as can be determined has not been previously mapped) was
detected at the south eastern extremity of Lake Eucumbene. Locally alluvium-
rock and soft rock-hard rock boundaries can be detected. Broader morphological
units can be identified and these may correspond to specific rock types. To
date the study has been too superficial to determine if major rock types car,
be identified.
Stereoscopic vision: linear features having only a small topographic expression
are enhanced. Drainage details and watershed boundaries can be map-ped with ore
reliability. Man made features such as major reservoir retaining walls ca be
identified more easily. In general stereoscopic viewing allows more reliable
interpretation.
Comparison with ERTS-1, 1142.-23203: the information content of the EBTS image
is considerably less than that of the SKYLAB photographs. Only the large
structural features, the broad vegetation differences and the large water.
courses are visible on EPTS, REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE
ORIGINAL PAGE IS POOR
S190A photography:
lYraJnes 28-180, 181 (colour) and 27-180, 181 (colour IP) positive transp-arencies
at 1:1 000 000 scale.
Cloud cover: about 10%o
The copies examined (as well as the contact positive trmspar encies
recieved from NASA) are of an inferior quality becrause of a-grainy p ' that
masks fine detil. There ore, th.se fromes were not includcd in this ar.-is
4.2 Alice dnin.tes. area
,3.C .. , t
Yr ,: " 90 84-122, 125, 1:2, colour .o itiv e transparnci.ez a 1:1 0 ' -
Scale.
Cloud cover: about 60o%.
C; The copies show an excessive dark red colouring which in some
instances helps the interpretability. It is not known at this stage whether
the colouration exists in the film supplied by NASA or only in the copies
obtained from the contractor.
Comments on the amount of information related to cultural features,
vegetation, drainage and geological structure are the same as for the S190B
frames of the Canberra test area.
Lithological information: owing to lack of vegetation more rock types can be a
differentiated and more boundaries mapped than in the Canberra frames.
Comparison with ERTS-1, 1030-00303: in general, much more information of any
type is contained in the SKYLAB pictures than in the ERTS image, with the
exception of a greater difference in tone between different metamorphic rock
types in ERTS band 7.
S190A photography:
Frames 28-162, 163 (colour) and;27-163, 162 (colour IR) positive transparencies
at 1:1 000 000 scale.
Cloud cover: about 60,.
The copies examined show grain problems as discussed for the S190A
photos of the Canberra area.
In general the true colour copies have more realistic colour rendition
than the S190B scenes of the sa"e area, eg. colluvial fans and soil ty-pes on
the southern side of the MacDonnell Ranges can be separated more readily on
S190A.
Colour IR copies have a predominantly green hue which hampers
correlation of different rock types and detection of details through thin
cloud cover.
5. Problems: The delay in processing the Skylab material has been due
to the main suppli. or, Kodak, being unable to provide the Australin Sovernnt
photographic contractor with suitable copying film from the UJSA. This proble
has now been overcome.
-4-
Grainy patterns limit the interpretability of the S190A
photographs.
6. Published articles: Nil
7. Recommendations: The origin of the grainy pattern on S190A
film should be investigated by NASA and the investigator should be advised
whether the problem occurs in the NASA originals or only in the subsequent
generations.
Bureau of Mineral Resourecs Co-investigators C.E. Maffi
Canberra, 13 August, 1974.
C.J. Simpson
W.J. Perry
DIVISION OF LANT USE RESEARCH, CSIRO
Title of the Investigation A study of theusefulness of Skylab EREP data
for earth resources studies in Australia. (In particular Vegetation
physiognomy, Land use, and Major land forms with reference to thematic
mapping.)
Identification Number SR 557
Accomlishments Photos ordered 19th March 1974, colour and black and
white SO 242. Only black and white received so far (8th July 1974).
Mapping of the land systems (types of country) superimposed on the Skylab o
photos of the Alice Springs area, for comparison with similar mapping already
done on the ERTS inagery. This work will continue, since the Skylab section
of it has scarcely begun.
Significant Results The stereo cover of the Skylab photos, -their clarity,
and their resolution in that order put them far above the ERTS imagery not
only in distinguishing between patterns but also in determining t-e .ture
of the country. Examples are the follaving land systems -
Si - plains with sand dunes
Al - ridges, foothills, and alluvial plains
S Ew - dune-covered country with stony hills
Td - alluvial plains.
These are in places indistinguishable on the ERTS imagery. The same places
are clearly distinguishable on the Skylab photos, together with the
character of the dunes (parallel, reticulate, or irregular).
Major Problems Delay in receiving the photos, heavy cloud cover.
Papers etc. None
Recommendations 1Wie have not yet had access to all the available photos,
nor do we feel competent to make recommendations in respect of those we have
received. Our study is inadeouate so far.
-si~?I~
,,ORESTRY AND TIBER U,R IMAU
REPORT ON WV iUlIO Oi SY.LAB. I.LAGLY
Period ending 8.8.74
There have been further long delays in the imagery becoming available
due to the non availability of suitable reproducing material to the contractors.
Brief visual examination of the S190A and B photography reproduced to
1 : 1 000 000 scale followed by a field visit to the imaged area was carried
out just prior to the end of the period.
More detailed examination is planned although other work com-:itments
are heavy till the end of November. It is proposed to compare the Skylab
imagery with ERTS imagery and available aerial phography at several scales.
Initial conclusions relate to the imagery not yielding significant
information in stratifying the native forest beyond 2 or 3 crown density classes.
The forest/non-forest boundary is far easier to delineate on the infra red colour
film than on colour, particularly when the forested areas are relatively small.
A more detailed report will be available at the next reportiig time.
L
1I,L. B TEN,SON
Offic er-in-Charge
FOREST RESOURCES SCITION


A study of the usefulness of Skylab EREP data for earth resources studies in Australia

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