Study of the physical properties of soils through interpretation of aerial photographs

Abstract

Final technical reportThe purpose of the research work proposed is the study of the physical properties of the soils by means of the interpretation of aerial photographs. This study is to be carried out in two years and thus it is not possible to give definite conclusions at the end of the first year, although the results we have obtained are highly satisfactory. In our opinion and after the experience of the first year, the working problem of the study of the physical properties of the soils through aerial photographs, can be examined from two different aspects. The first of them could be called the "deductive" method and consists in acquiring knowledge of the physical properties of the soils by means of sucoessive interpretations of aerial photographs; through photointerpretation we study the physical Geography of an area, its hydrographic net, natural vegetation and .man-introduced cultivations, the forms of erosion end the nature of the geological material, All these interpretations, together with the clitmate, allow to "deduce" the nature of the soils of that area, as all the pedological processes which the different geological materials have undergone can be know perfectly well, which also shows the intensity of physical and chemical desintegration of the materials that form the starting point of soil formation.The research reported in this document has been made possible through the support and sponsorship of the U.S. Department of the Army through its European Research Office.Contract No. DA-91-591-EUC-2652 1st. April 1963 to 31th March 1964.N