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Brooks, R. L.

Pennewell, J. D.

English

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Contract NAS 9-13310
FIRST QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT
(8 March - 8 June 1973)
E73-10731) APPLICABILITY OC SATELLITE N73-26337
.:REMIOTE SENSING FOR MONITORING SURFACE
MINING ACTIVITIES Quarterly Proqress
Report, 8 (Wolf Research and Development Unclas
Corp.) 7 p HC $3.00 CSCL 08I G3/13 00731
APPLICABILITY OF SATELLITE
REMOTE SENISING FOR 1OIITOR!IIG
SURFACE ?INING ACTIVITIES
SKYLAB EREP INVESTIGATION 9669
TECHNICAL MONITOR: Roger Hicks
Prepared by
R.L. BROOKS
J.D. PENNEITWELL
WOLF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Pocornoke, Maryland 21851
(
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730017610 2020-03-23T04:02:56+00:00Z
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
2.0 PROGRESS (8 March 1973 to 8 June 1973) 2
2. 1 SURFACE MINE CENSUS 2
2.2 LITERATURE SEARCH 2
2.3 PHOTOS TO SUPPORT GROUND TRUTH 3
2.4 MICRO-DENSITO'METER USAGE 3
3.0 PROBLEMS 4
4.0 PLANS 5
ii
1.0: INTRODUCTION
The objective of this investigation is to evaluate EREP
imagery as a means of detecting and monitoring strip mines,
their effects, and reclamation activities. EREP S-190 A and
S-190 B imagery of a tri-state test area will be analyzed,
and some S-192 thermal imagery during a night time pass is
desired in hopes of detecting acid waste waters whose temper-
atures might exceed those of the surrounding environment.
Initially, the investigation will consist of a census of
active and inactive strip mines along with estimates of dis-
turbed and reclaimed acreage. Notable damage to the environ-
ment will also be included.
The primary test site (816556) extends from latitude
39°00'N to 40030'N, and longitude 800 00'W to 83°00''W; and
encompasses portions of Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
The alternate test site (816557) extends from latitude
37°00'N to 390 00'N, and longitude 860 00'1? to 89000'W; and en-
compasses portions of Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.
1
2.0 PROGRESS (8 March 1973 to 8 June 1973)
2.1 SURFACE MINE CENSUS
Letter and telephone communications have been made
during this reporting period with state officials in
Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. We
now have surface mine directories for all of these
states, with the exception of Pennsylvania.
The authors of 'this report visited Charleston, West
Virginia, and met with West Virginia state personnel
from the Bureau of Mines, Bureau of Reclamation, and
Department of Legislative Services. After much "door-
knocking", we found West Virginia surface mine locations
on 7.5 minute quadrangles. We transferred the site in-
formation onto our own 7.5 minute quadrangles, and also
onto 1:250,000 topographic maps. State officials also
gave us a guided tour of the state's largest surface..mine
(in Kanawha County).
We also visited Columbus, Ohio, and met with Ohio
state personnel from the Bureau of Mines, Bureau of
Reclamation, and the Ohio Geological Survey. The Bureau
of Reclamation has an index of all active surface mines
in Ohio, in terms of Township, Range, and Section. This-
information has since been transferred to a 1:500,000
Ohio Lands Survey Map, and also to 1:250,000 topographic
maps.
2.2 LITERATURE SEARCH
A search for existing literature on this study topic
was initiated during this reporting period. Many documents
have been requested, and most of these have been received.
2
.2.3 PHOTOS TO SUPPORT GROUND TRUTH
It has been ascertained that the U.S. Department
of Agriculture has aerial-photo coverage of our test
sites; this photography is available upon request.
The U.S. Department of Interior has photographic
coverage of the majority of the test areas (816556 and
816557). This photography is not always current, but
will be valuable for assessing temporal modifications
of terrain. This may be of benefit to reclamation
areas.
The ERTS Browse File was also reviewed; however,
the detail in the Browse File was not deemed sufficient
to delineate surface mining activities.
2.4 MICRO-DENSITOMETER USAGE
Preliminary arrangements for the use of a micro-
densitometer at NASA/iWallops Station for our study task
have been made with Drs. Maurer and Oberholtzer of
NASA Wallops. The micro-densitometer will potentially
be utilized with the EREP data to establish digital
pattern recognition techniques for detection and inves-
tigation of surface mining techniques.
3
3.0 PROBLEMS
The only significant problem to date has been the lack
of response from Pennsylvania state officials. Presumably,
this lack of response is due to our not contacting the right
people in Harrisburg. I'Te plan a "door-knocking" session in
Harrisburg in late June 1973 to obtain our desired information.
4
4.0 PLANS
During the next reporting period (8 June 1973 to 8
September 1973), we plan to visit the West Virginia Geo-
logical Survey at Morgantown, West Virginia; and the
Pennsylvania Bureau of Mines in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Arrangements will be made to obtain the pertinent
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of In-
terior aerial photography for our calibration areas.
Detailed on-site ground truth data will be initiated
only after successful EREP data-takes in our calibration
areas. This is to insure that our detailed ground truth
information will be applicable to EREP data.
Indiana and Illinois state personnel will be contacted
via telephone and letter for surface mine information.
5


Applicability of satellite remote sensing for monitoring surface mining activities

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