Ektachrome and multiband photography evaluation in Caliente Range of Californi

Vedder, J. G.

Wolfe, E. W.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NATURAL RESOURC 
PROGRAM
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SPACE APPLICATIONS 
PROGRAMS
ES
TECHNICAL LETTER NASA
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U.S. Geological Survey 
Department of the Interior
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UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE. INTERIOR 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY '
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20242
J'
Technical Letter 
NASA-17 
August 1966  
Dr. Peter C. Badgley 
Chief, Natural Resources Program 
Office of Space Science and Application 
Code SAR, NASA Headquarters 
Washington, D.C. 20546
Dear Peter:
Transmitted herewith are 2 copies of:
TECHNICAL LETTER NASA-17
EVALUATION OF EKTACHROME AND MULTIBAND PHOTOGRAPHY 
IN CALIENTE RANGE, CALIFORNIA*
by 
J. G. Vedder and E. W. Wolfe**
Sincerely yours,
William A. Fischer 
Research Coordinator 
Earth Orbiter Program
*Work performed under NASA Contract No. R-09-020-015 
3. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California
RETCTTOt
N&D RESEARCH REFERENCE CQUEffK 
USGS NOTIONAL CENTER, MS-521 
RESTON.VA 22092
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
 TECHNICAL LETTER NASA-17
EVALUATION OF EKTACHROME AND MULTIBAND PHOTOGRAPHY 
IN CALIENTE RANGE, CALIFORNIA*
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I .by
_ . J. G. Vedder and E. W. Wolfe**
  August 1966
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I These data are preliminary and should not be quoted without permission
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Prepared by the Geological Survey
I for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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  *Work performed under NASA Contract No. R-09-020-015
**U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, Californiai 
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  DISTRIBUTION LIST
NASA Headquarters, D.C.
t
Miss Winnie Morgan, Technical Reports Officer 
Dr. Peter C. Badgley, Program Chief 
Theodore A. George
NASA/MSC-Houston
Leo F. Childs, Chairman, Aircraft Coordination 
Ed Zeitler, Data Center
Authors 
USGS/Washinqton
William T. Pecora 
Research Coordinator 
Remote Sensing Evaluation and 
Coordination Staff (RESECS) 
Chief Geologist 
Associate Chief Geologist 
Assistant Chief Geologists (4) 
Chief Hydrologist 
Chief Topographic Engineer 
Discipline Coordinators (4) 
Jules MacKallor 
William Hemphill 
Alien Heyl 
Robert Moxham 
Alan Kover 
David Southwick 
Isidore Zietz 
Stephen J. Gawarecki 
Washington Library 
Denver Library 
Menlo Library
USGS/Menlo Park
Ernest H. Lathram . 
Hal T. Morris 
Robert E. Wallace 
Edward W. Wolfe 
George Gryc 
Max Crittenden 
Parke Snavely, Jr.
Copies
1
20
10
Copies USGS/Denver
Arthur B. Campbell 
Robert L. Christiansen 
David F. Davidson 
Ross. B. Johnson 
Daniel R. Shawe 
Robert H. Morris 
Tom Hendricks
USGS/Flaqstaff
Gerald S. Schaber   1 
US Dept. of Agriculture 
.A.B. Park . 1 
US Air Force
J.F. Cronin (AFCRL) 1 
US Navy
A.G. Alexiou (NAVOCEANO) 1 
Other Cooperating Investigators Copies
R.N. Colwell, Univ. Calif 1
J. Lintz, Univ. Nevada 1
R.J.P. Lyon, Stanford Univ. 1
D.B. Simonett, Univ. Kansas 1 
E.H.T. Whitten, Northwestern Univ. 1
William Vest, IITRI, D.C. 1
NAS/NRC Advisory Comm. Chm. 1
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,'1
EVALUATION OF EKTACJIRO?!.!:. AN1 !) MHI/nMNU niOTOG 
IN CALXENTE RANGE, CALIFORNIA
by
J. C. Vo.hlrr and E. W. Wo I fe 
U.S. Geologi.cn .1. Survey, Men l.o 1'arh, CM ] i.foruj.a
An   area in the Oiliente P.nnge of southern Ca 1 j forn in , .sees. 1.7, 
18, 19, TUN, R?. IE, was SP lee-ted for a trial oC aerial Kktachrome ;mcl 
mu.l.!;iband pliotography. One LosL area which i.s appror, jinat. o l.y a. m.Mo 
.square, is underlain by a northe.asL-dipping iioiuoc linal. .lequence uf 
Tertiary marine and non.mar.Lne sedimentary rocks and basalt. Good ex- 
posure and detailed geologic mapping (Vedder and Rcpenning, 1965). make 
the area particularly well suited Cor study. *m
Features particularly striking .in the inultili^nd image inclndn the 
following:
(1) White to pale "salmon" arkos.ic sandstone beds in unit: Tc, 
and resistant white sandstone beds in unit Tbc show up in the mul.ti.band 
composite as well defined red zones. The sandstone beds, especiaJJ.y those 
in the western part of the area, are much less obvious in the Ektachromn 
image.
(2) Similar red zones occur on the flours of some canyons southwest 
of the "Main" basalt (Tb r ). -Probably they reflect the occurrence of 
  'H.uvial white sand on the canyon floors. At best, this feature is 
barely discnrnibJo on the Ektachrome.
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(3) Although striking on the Ektachrome. image, the "Main" basalt
(Tb.) is one of the most obvious features of the mi.t J.I; i. band image, where!) " '
it is represented by a purplish northwest-trending band sharply bounded 
to the southwest and northeast. The southwest contact, well defined on
the Ektachrome, and even more vividly defined on the mu'Jtiband image Isi '
the. basal contact of the basalt. The northeast boundary of the' purplish 
band lies stratigraphic.al.ly below the. top of the basaJt; it defines the 
ridge crest and, perhaps only coincldentally, the contact, between ex-- 
posed basalt in place and basalt talus on'the northeast-facing dip slope.
Features with equivalent definition, in the two Images include the 
Col lowing:
(1) Bedding in several of the sedimentary units such as Tin, Tcs, 
and'Tc~ is well defined.
(?.) Talus from the "Main" basalt (').'lv) is clearly displayed 
of the slope southwest of the basalt.
' (3) Contacts of unit Tq are. well defined on both images.
(4) Surficlal expression of unit Qoa is equally good in the two 
Images.
(5) Unit Tc,- and the .base of unit Tc. are obscure in both images.
Features less well defined j.n multiband image than. in. aerial 
Ektachrome include the following:
(J.) Distribution of Qya and Ql. Some of the landslide deposits 
near th» southeast edge of the area, though well defined on the Ektachronip
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  are virtually invisible on the multlband image. 
 (2) Definition of the drainage pattern is excellent on the 
Ektachrome and poor in the multlband image, probably because of poor 
registry in preparation of the tMultibnnd composite.
1 ' 
Conclusions:
Aerial Ektachrome photography would be extremely valuable in map- 
ping unknown terrane with color contrast of rock units. However, few 
rock types could be interpreted without on-site inspection, and for 
detailed geologic study such photography would greatly aid but not re- 
place on-the-ground geologic mapping.
This trial indicates that multiband methods can be used to discern 
specific geologic features such as the white sandstone beds of units 
Tc and Tbc. The implications are that the multlband technique has 
  promise as a remote-sensing analytical tool and that it could be of
great value in rapid quantitative analysis of such features as secllmen-
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tary facies. Obviously further development of the technique and of our 
interpretative capability is essential to optimum use of the too.
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Geology by J. G.Vedde' 
ond C. A. Repenning
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Evaluation of Ektachrome and Multiband Photography in Caliente Range, California

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