The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison of ERTS-1 imagery of three dates reveals that corn harvesting is detectable by observing tonal change associated with the change from photosynthetically active plants to bare ground

Morain, S. A.

Williams, D. L.

English

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CENTER FOR RESEARPCH, INC.
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ERTS DETAILED IMAGE INTERPRETATION REPORT
. Subject:
E7.3
(D1
CRIN'C
DIIR No.
Date
Prepared
2264-1
3 Jan 73
Monitoring corn harvest progress from ERTS-1, southern Finney County,
Kansas o
Subject Geographic NASA Test
-Coordinates 37-50N 100-55W Site No. N/A
NASA Image Descriptors: Corn, Agriculture
Report Summary: Comparison of ERTS-1 imagery of three dates reveals that corn harvesting
is detectable by observing tonal change associated with the change from photosynthetically
active plants to bare ground.
(E73-10472) MONITORING CORN HARVEST
PROGRESS FROM ERTS-1, SOUTHERN FINNEY
COUNTY, KANSAS (Kansas Univ./Center for
Research, Inc.) 2 p HC $3.00 CSCL 02C
N73-21309
Unclas
G3/13 00472
Imagery References
CRINC NASA Image
'Image No. ID Block
MP00019 E-1006-16511-5
MP00279 E-1024-16511-5
MN001 13 E-i061-16570-5
Subject Image Coordinates
X Y
(9.5) 36 54
(9.5) 34
(7) 46
84
13
Map References: USGS NJ14=7 Scale 1:250,000
Digital Data Used Yes No x
Image 3 ,-'fl -o :, T cpa' , *ZG " -.,-<' · '
-Analyst 'Donald L. Williams Investigator/ Stanley A. Morain '
R . , .. _ ._~~~~~~~~~~~~r
NASA NAS 5-21822
Contract No. MMC#060-IV
User
ID No. U664
10.4 7.2.
a31al-
Cloud
Cover
0
0
0
Image
Quality
Good
Good
Good
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730012582 2020-03-23T02:42:14+00:00Z
Tones of fields in the southern Finney County test area were optically compared on three
MSS5 images, acquired 29 July 1972, 16 August 1972, and 22 September 1972.
Fifty-six fields in the test area were planted to corn, according to the ground truth.
All of these fields were irrigated.
All fifty-six corn fields appeared dark gray or black on the film positive of 29 July 1972.
These dark tones are associated with high absorption of red light by the photosynthetically
active corn.
All except one of these fields also appeared dark gray or black on 16 August 1972.
The one exception had a dark band oriented east-west through the center of the field. Both
the northern and southern parts of the field were light gray. The light gray tone is associated
with bare sandy soil in Finney County.
On 22 September 1972, eight of the corn fields, including the one observed on
14 August 1972, were completely light gray. Subsequent ground truth verified that these
fields had been harvested,
Ofi13 grain sorghum fields in the test area, none had been harvested by 22 September 1972.
Grain sorghum, particularly when grown under irrigation, is rarely harvested before the first
killing frost.
One alfalfa field was being mowed on 22 September 1972. The mown portion appeared
medium gray.
On the basis of the facts presented above, it is inferred that all fields in southern
Finney County which had been dark gray or black in July and were light gray in September
were corn fields which had been harvested by 22 Sep.ember 1972. The images were compared
under this inference and the following conclusions were drawn: (1) 15 fields had been
completely harvested and (2) harvesting was in progress in four other fields.
Direct cost was 1.5 hours interpreter time, plus $1.50 nonexpendable supplies.


Monitoring corn harvest progress from ERTS-1, southern Finney County, Kansas

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