Evaluation of ERTS data for certain hydrological uses

Abstract

The author has identified the following significant results. A snow-extent map of the American River basin was prepared for 27 May 1973 from MSS band 4 imagery. The basin was 14% snow covered. NOAA-2 visible band imagery was used to determine date of disappearance of snow in the basin: 15 July 1973. A snowmelt curve comparing ERTS-1 and NOAA-2 snow-extent maps is provided. ERTS-1 data were superior in quality and outstanding in cartographic fidelity and were found to be an excellent control or calibration for the distorted and coarse (1 km) imagery from NOAA-2's VHRR which, however, is available on a daily basis