ASPRS

PE&RS July 2004

VOLUME 70, NUMBER 7
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING

Peer-Reviewed Articles

793 Methodology For Hyperspectral Band Selection
Peter Bajcsy and Peter Groves

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
While hyperspectral data are very rich in information, processing the hyperspectral data poses several challenges regarding computational requirements, information redundancy removal, relevant information identification, and modeling accuracy. In this paper we present a new methodology for combining unsupervised and supervised methods under classification accuracy and computational requirement constraints that is designed to perform hyperspectral band (wavelength range) selection and statistical modeling method selection. The band and method selections are utilized for prediction of continuous ground variables using airborne hyperspectral measurements. The novelty of the proposed work is in combining strengths of unsupervised and supervised band selection methods to build a computationally efficient and accurate band selection system. The unsupervised methods are used to rank hyperspectral bands while the accuracy of the predictions of supervised methods are used to score those rankings. We conducted experiments with seven unsupervised and three supervised methods. The list of unsupervised methods includes information entropy, first and second spectral derivative, spatial contrast, spectral ratio, correlation, and principal component analysis ranking combined with regression, regression tree, and instance-based supervised methods. These methods were applied to a data set that relates ground measurements of soil electrical conductiveity with airborne hyperspectral image values. The outcomes of our analysis led to a conclusion that the optimum number of bands in this domain is the top four to eight bands obtained by the entropy unsupervised method followed by the regression tree supervised method evaluation. Although the proposed band selection approach is demonstrated with a data set from the precision agriculture domain, it applies in other hyperspectral application domains.

803 Wavelets for Urban Spatial Feature Discrimination: Comparisons with Fractal, Spatial Autocorrelation, and Spatial Co-occurrence Approaches
Soe Win Myint, Nina Lam, and John M. Tyler

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
Traditional image processing techniques have proven inadequate for urban mapping using high spatial resolution remote-sensing images. This study examined and evaluated wavelet transforms for urban texture analysis and image classification using high spatial resolution ATLAS imagery. For the purpose of comparison and to evaluate the effectiveness of the wavelet approaches, two different fractal approaches (isarithm and triangular prism), spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I and Geary's C), and spatial co-occurrence matrix of the selected urban classes were examined using 65 x 65, 33 x 33, and 17 x 17 samples with a pixel size of 2.5 m. Results from this study suggest that a multi-band and multi-level wavelet approach can be used to drastically increase the classification accuracy. The fractal techniques did not provide satisfactory classification accuracy. Spatial autocorrelation and spatial co-occurrence techniques were found to be relatively effective when compared to the fractal approaches. It can be concluded that the wavelet transform approach is the most accurate of all four approaches.

813 A Comparison of AVIRIS and Landsat for Land Use Classification at the Urban Fringe
Rutherford V. Platt and Alexander F.H. Goetz

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
In this study we tested whether AVIRIS data allowed for improved land use classification over synthetic Landsat ETM? data for a location on the urban-rural fringe of Colorado. After processing the AVIRIS image and creating a synthetic Landsat image, we used standard classification and post-classification procedures to compare the data sources for land use mapping. We found that, for this location, AVIRIS holds modest, but real, advantages over Landsat for the classification of heterogeneous and vegetated land uses. Furthermore, this advantage comes almost entirely from the large number of sensor spectral bands rather than the high Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).

821 A SPLIT Model for Extraction of Subpixel Impervious Surface Information
Yeqiao Wang and Kevin Zhang

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
This paper introduces a Subpixel Proportional Land cover Information Transformation (SPLIT) model to extract proportions of impervious surfaces in urban and suburban areas. High spatial resolution airborne Digital Multispectral Videography (DMSV) data provided subpixel information for Landsat TM data. The SPLIT model employed a Modularized Artificial Neural Network (MANN) to integrate multi-sensor remote sensing data and to extract proportions of impervious surfaces and other types of land cover within TM pixels. Through a control unit, the MANN was able to decompose a complex task into multiple subtasks by using a group of sub-networks. The SPLIT model identified spectral relations between TM pixel values and the corresponding DMSV subpixel patterns. The established relationship allows extrapolation of the SPLIT model to the areas beyond DMSV data coverage. We applied five intervals, i.e., <20 percent, 21 to 40 percent, 41 to 60 percent, 61 to 80 percent, and >81 percent, to map the subpixel proportions of land cover types. We extrapolated the SPLIT model from training sites that have both TM and DMSV coverage into the entire DuPage County with TM data as the input. The extrapolation received 82.9 percent overall accuracy for the extracted proportions of urban impervious surface.

829 Development of a 2001 National Landcover Database for the United States
Collin Homer, Chengquan Huang, Limin Yang, Bruce Wylie, and Michael Coan

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
Multi-Resolution Land Characterization 2001 (MRLC 2001) is a second-generation Federal consortium designed to create an updated pool of nation-wide Landsat 5 and 7 imagery and derive a second-generation National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001). The objectives of this multi-layer, multi-source database are two fold: first, to provide consistent land cover for all 50 States, and second, to provide a data framework which allows flexibility in developing and applying each independent data component to a wide variety of other applications. Components in the database include the following: (1) normalized imagery for three time periods per path/row, (2) ancillary data, including a 30 m Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived into slope, aspect and slope position, (3) per pixel estimates of percent imperviousness and percent tree canopy, (4) 29 classes of land cover data derived from the imagery, ancillary data, and derivatives, (5) classification rules, confidence estimates, and metadata from the land cover classification. This database is now being developed using a Mapping Zone approach, with 66 Zones in the continental United States and 23 Zones in Alaska. Results from three initial mapping Zones show single-pixel land cover accuracies ranging from 73 to 77 percent, imperviousness accuracies ranging from 83 to 91 percent, tree canopy accuracies ranging from 78 to 93 percent, and an estimated 50 percent increase in mapping efficiency over previous methods. The database has now entered the production phase and is being created using extensive partnering in the Federal government with planned completion by 2006.

841 Determination of Burnt Scars Using Logistic Regression and Neural Network Techniques from a Single Post-Fire Landsat-7 ETM+ Image
Ruiliang Pu and Peng Gong

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
Using logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural networ (NN) algorithms, probabilities of presence/absence (p/a) of burned scars were calculated from post-fire Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM?) images in mountainous areas of northern California. The discriminating power of six original TM bands (TM bands 1 through 5 and band 7) and five vegetation indices between burned and unburned areas were analyzed. The LR and NN techniques were applied to two study sites with varied topography. We evaluated the performance of both methods in predicting burned scars based on predictive accuracy, uncertainty index, and computation time. The experimental results indicate that (1) the LR is more efficient than the NN in predicting burned scars, but both techniques can produce similar and acceptable prediction accuracy (overall average accuracy greater than 97 percent for both methods at the two study sites) of p/a of burned areas; (2) among all six original TM bands and five vegetation indices, original TM4 and TM7 and NDVI1 (TM4, TM7) and NDVI2 (TM4, TM3) exhibit the highest discrimination between burned scars and unburned vegetation areas; and (3) the predictive accuracy produced with samples from the shaded and shadowed areas is lower than that from the sunlit areas.

851 Mobile GIS and Speech Recognition
Andrew Hunter and Naser El-Sheimy

Abstract  Download Full Article (members only)
The research investigated whether a Mobile Geographic Information System (MGIS) incorporating speech recognition was a viable tool for locating defects in the streetscape. The Geography Markup Language for encoding spatial information was used to implement an application schema for street condition surveys. Speech accuracy exceeded 95% in environments that were quiet or constantly loud. However, for tests where the noise level varied, recognition accuracy plummeted to 58 per-cent. Accuracy of captured defects was determined while" standing," "walking," "cycling," and "driving." Errors ranged from 0.27 m to 12.49 m at the 95 percent confidence interval. A web-based questionnaire indicated that municipal geographic information users are unhappy with the quality of their data, and as yet, do not require data in real-time. Future research involves investigating alternative ways of capturing spoken commands, the effect that mobile computing has on the cognitive abilities of the user, and wireless connectivity required for real time access to spatial data.
Top Home