PE&RS June 1997

Cover Image

The cover images were created from recently collected, multispectral MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) data. The MAS is an airborne scanning spectrometer that acquires high spatial resolution imagery of cloud and surface features from ~ts vantage point on-board a NASA ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft. Clockwise from upper left (center last) the MAS images show:

1. Glaciers near Mt. Hayes in the Alaska Range
2. Arkansas River and Kaw Reservoir along the Kansas/Oklahoma border
3. Lake-effect instability clouds and snow from Lake Erie into Buffalo, New York
4. Bio-mass burning and smoke plume near the Xingu River, Brazil
5. Severe Thunderstorm over the Brooks Range, Alaska

Data acquired by the MAS are helping to define, develop, and test algorithms for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a key sensor of NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS). MODIS, scheduled for launch aboard the EOS AM-I platform in 1998, is the premier instrument of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth. The MODIS program will emphasize the use of remotely sensed data to monitor variation in environmental conditions for assessing both natural and Human-induced global change. Research and Data Systems Corporation (RDC) developed these images for Dr. Michael King, MAS Principal Investigator (NASA GSFC), by processing raw instrument counts into calibrated/geolocated radiances and then creating an RGB composite using 3, of the 50 available, MAS spectral bands. For further information contact RDC at 301-982-3700; or browse the RDC (http://www.rdcweb.com) and MAS (http://mas.arc.nasa.gov/) web sites.

Highlight Article

651 Underwater Imaging and GIS Integration with Side Scan Sonar (Adobe PDF 858Kb)
Brett Phaneuf

Peer-Reviewed Articles (Click the linked titles to see the full abstract)

681 Viewing Geometry of AVHRR Image Composites Derived Using Multiple Criteria
David M. Stains, Michael J. Buena, and Frank W Davis

An analysis of alternative compositing algorithms derived from various combinations of criteria for NDVI, thermal, and view angle suggests potential improvements over the standard maximum NDVI algorithm.

691 Fusion of Satellite Images of Different Spatial Resolutions: Assessing the Quality of Resulting Images
Lucien Wald, Thierry Ranchin, and Marc Mangolini

The approach is illustrated by the case of a SPOT image and three different standard methods to enhance the spatial resolution

701 Spectral Reflectance with Varying Suspended Sediment Concentrations in Clear and Algae-Laden Waters
Luoheng Han

For both clear and algae-laden waters, the linearity in the 8CC-reflectance relationship increased with wavelength between 400 and 900 nm, while a near-linear relationship between SSC and reflectance was found between 720 and 900 nm.

707 Mapping Desert Shrub Rangeland Using Spectral Unmixing and Modeling Spectral Mixtures with TM Data
Youngsinn Sohn and Roger M. McCoy

Based on the field reference spectra of image components, a constrained least-squares method was applied to Landsat TM data over an area in Long Valley, Nevada to calculate vegetation abundance in a pixel.

717 Subpixel Classification of Bald Cypress and Tupelo Gum Trees in Thematic Mapper Imagery
Robert L. Huguenin, Mark A. Karaska, Donald Van Blariconi, and John R. Jensen

In a comparison with traditional classification techniques (Isodata clustering, maximum likelihood, and minimum distance), the subpixel classification of cypress and tupelo yielded improved results.

727 Mapping City Lights with Nighttime Data from the DMSP Operational Linescan System
Christopher D. Elvidge, Kimberly E. Baugh, Eric A. Kihn, Herbert W Kroehl, and Ethan B. Davis

Methods are presented for detecting and geolocating visible and near-infrared emission sources from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program imagery.

735 Statistical Significance and Normalized Confusion Matrices
Perry J. Hardin and I. Matthew Shumway

Using sampling distributions and their attendant standard error, the statistical comparison of cell values from two normalized confusion matrices is illustrated.

741 A Large-Scale Aerial Photoghraphic Technique for Measuring Tree Heights on Long-Term Forest Installations
Miklos Kovats

A cost-effective alternative to the clinometer and tape approach for monitoring tree heights is described.

Announcements
658 Meeting: Softcopy Photogrammetry Applications
706 Meeting: Small Format Aerial Photography
676 Call for Papers: 1998 ASPRS/RTI Annual Conference, Tampa, FL
740 Meeting: Land Satellite Information II 740
726 Publication: Earth Observing Sensors & Platforms CD-ROM, ver. 1.1
690 Meeting: Third International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference

Departments
647 In Memoriom: Burns
649 In Memoriam: Stancil
665 Software Review
671 Board of Directors
673 Sustaining Members
675 New Members
680 Index to Advertisers
700 Instructions to Authors
725 Forthcoming Articles
748 Calendar
750 Classifieds
752 Professional Directory
756 Bookstore
759 Membership Application

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