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Lauer, D. T.

Publications and source records attributed to Lauer, D. T..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

LANDSAT 4 investigations of Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner applications

Structural and stratigraphic characteristics of the Drum Mountains in Utah were obtained using LANDSAT 5 TM data that were digitally enhanced using band ratioing, principal components analysis, and spatial filtering techniques. Color ratioing composite images proved most useful for distinguishing between and identifying exposure of hyroxly bearing hydrothermally altered inclusive rocks and bleached contact metamorphic rocks dominated by calc-silicate mineral assemblages. The amount and detail of geologic information interpreted from TM images is more significant than that from MSS and in geologic maps. Enhanced LANDSAT 5 TM data also identified and mapped hydrothermal alteration and distinguished between altered and unaltered limonitic assemblages in the Tonopath, Nevada quadrangle.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Early Results of Investigations of LANDSAT 4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner Applications

The TM digital data were evaluated for their potential to provide improved land cover information. The analyses included: (1) testing for information that may be offered by the new TM spectral bands, and (2) comparing data characteristics for equivalent spectral bands of the TM and MSS sensors. The analyses were conducted on several large samples of pixels corresponding to five broad land cover classes. Some TM spectral data are presented and evaluated as single-band, black-and-white images, and in several three-band color-composite images. Some data transformations which can be used to present TM data in a manner that is potentially more useful for analysis or display are demonstrated. These transformations enable generating hue, intensity, and saturation data space from red, green, and blue color space, as well as perspective view images.

Sadowski, F. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

LANDSAT 4 investigation of Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner applications

A comparison of methods for selecting optimum TM band combinations for visual interpretation of data are examined. Two statistical methods and visual interpretation by experienced photointerpreters are compared using photographic chips of 1:250,000 scale prints and the digital equivalent of the chips. A mosaic of TM data of the Great Salt Lake area of Utah was done. The filtering process was reviewed since the results were not satisfactory.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

LANDSAT 4 investigations of Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner applications

Interband detector noise was suppressed in the TIPS TM North Dakota data by median filtering. Procedures were developed to optimize the visual information content of thematic mapper data and evaluate the resulting photographic products by visual interpretation. A digital to analog TM transfer function was developed which properly placed the digital values on the most useable portion of film response curve. Utilizing the calculated minimum, mean, and maximum and the respective standard deviations of the bands from 50 sample scenes of TM data, look up tables were designed which resulted in acceptable photographic products. These products were evaluated by generation of color composites of selected band combinations using standard photo production procedures, and visual interpretation of scene features.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Study of Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner Data Applications

The U.S. Geological Survey EROS Data Center evaluated the utility of LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) and Thematic Mapper (TM) data for natural resource assessment and land cover information, emphasizing manual interpretation and digital classification of the data for U.S. Department of the Interior applications. In most cases, substantially more information was derived from TM data than from MSS data. The test areas included Washington, D.C. and prairie regions of South Dakota and Kansas.

Sadowski, F. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

LANDSAT 4 investigations of Thematic Mapper and multispectral scanner applications

The optimum index factor package was used to choose TM band for color compositing. Processing techniques were also used on TM data over several sites to: (1) reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed and analyzed by using statistical methods or by combining full-resolution products with spatially compressed products; (2) digitally process small subareas to improve the visual appearance of large-scale products or to merge different-resolution image data; and (3) evaluate and compare the information content of the different three-band combinations that can be made using the TM data. Results indicate that for some applications the added spectral information over MSS is even more important than the TM's increased spatial resolution.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT 4 investigation of thematic mapper and multispectral scanner applications

Six different band combinations of TM data were selected for evaluation by four experienced photointerpreters who were asked to rank the band combinations according to the ease with which the category of image feature designated for each set of combinations could be distinguished. There were four sets of combinations selected for each category of image feature. Scenes of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and of the Sacramento Valley, California area were enlarged to 1:250,000 and 2 cm circular chips were cut from each print. A nonparametric rank order test was carried out on the data to determine if the interpreters found no difference among the band combinations in ranking for the designated categories. Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) was calculated and the significance of the W value was determined by a chi-square test. A table summarizes the results of the evaluation and shows the rank order of band combinations indicated as valid by rejection of the null hypothesis.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT 4 investigations of thematic mapper and multispectral scanner applications

The utility of TM data natural resource assessment was evaluated with emphasis on manual interpretation and digital classification. The improved spatial resolution of TM data, as compared with MSS data, aided in the location of roads, small stock ponds, and many other land features, permitting positive identification of landmarks. With the TM, there was more efficient manual interpretation of land use, better identification of resource types, and improved assessment of the ecological status of natural vegetation. Band 5 and band 7 aided in defining water resources, wetland vegetation resources, and other terrain features. Results from TM and TM simulator data suggest that the coefficient of variation for major land cover types is less for TM data than for equivalent MSS data. Although the amount of information in bands 5 and 7 is small, it is unique since the same information cannot be derived from the MSS four-band spectral region.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT 4 investigations of thematic mapper and multispectral scanner applications

Progress in the investigation of the quality and performance of LANDSAT 4 TM data is reported. Average mean brightness values were computed for each band and a look-up table was designed to place the values at about 1.0 density on the straight line portion of the film's H and D curve. Manual interpretation of bands 5 and 7 indicated these data to be good sources for determining locations of dugouts and small ponds as water sources.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT 4 investigations of thematic mapper and multispectral scanner applications

Digital data analyses suggest the potential for TM data to provide improved land cover information with the mid-IR band being especially useful. Coefficients of variations for major land categories were greater for MSS data channels than for TM channels. Interpretation of black and white images of the six reflective TM bands indicates a strong interpreter preference for bands 5 and 7 for making distinctions in most of the classification categories that were addressed; however, a strong case can be made for a color composite containing visible, near-IR, and mid-IR spectral regions when distinguishing vegetation. A transformation from each red, green, blue color space into hue, intensity, and saturation space has potential for enhanced interpretability of TM color composite images. A perspective view transformation was demonstrated that could be useful for presently registered layers of spatial data in an oblique view format.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

LANDSAT 4 investigations of thematic mapper and multispectral scanner applications

Initial data screening, data handling and program testing were completed on the four-band Detroit scene and the seven-band northeast Arkansas scene. Data were received in early December for one primary eastern test site (Washington, D.C.) and one secondary eastern test site (Allegheny National Forest). A comprehensive digital data base was built for a portion of the Black Hills test site and is composed of historic LANDSAT MSS data; elevation, slope, and aspect data; land cover data; geologic data; thematic mapper simulator data; and digitized high altitude aircraft data. The thematic mapper and multispectral scanner data of the Washington area were resampled at 25 and 50 meters respectively, with map projection to UTM grid.

Lauer, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Remote sensing program in earth resources

The basic features of the NASA remote sensing program are briefly outlined. Consideration is given to physical data acquisition and preprocessing, archiving for bulk retrieval, availability of Landsat data, and the role of foreign ground stations.

Billingsley, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

An overview of remote sensing technology transfer in Canada and the United States

To realize the maximum potential benefits of remote sensing, the technology must be applied by personnel responsible for the management of natural resources and the environment. In Canada and the United States, these managers are often in local offices and are not those responsible for the development of systems to acquire, preprocess, and disseminate remotely sensed data, nor those leading the research and development of techniques for analysis of the data. However, the latter organizations have recognized that the technology they develop must be transferred to the management agencies if the technology is to be useful to society. Problems of motivation and communication associated with the technology transfer process, and some of the methods employed by Federal, State, Provincial, and local agencies, academic institutions, and private organizations to overcome these problems are explored.

Strome, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Water supply studies

There are no author-identified significant results in this report.

Colwell, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Water supply studies

The primary test site for water supply investigations continues to be the Feather River watershed in northeastern California. This test site includes all of the area draining into and including the Oroville Reservoir. The principal effort is to determine the extent to which remote sensing techniques, when properly employed, can provide information useful to those persons concerned with the management and planning of lands and facilities for the production of water, using the Oroville Reservoir and the California Water Project as the focus for the study. In particular, emphasis is being placed on determining the cost effectiveness of information derived through remote sensing as compared with that currently being derived through more conventional means.

Burgy, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Interchance and cooperation with user agencies

It is apparent that the rate of remote sensing technique development is increasing at a much faster pace than is the rate at which these same techniques are being put to practical use by earth resource managers and inventory specialists. It has become increasingly important to bridge this widening gap between remote sensing specialists and potential users. Members of the University of California project on remote sensing of earth resources have been actively participating in efforts to overcome this gap by maintaining library facilities, disseminating research findings, training remote sensing specialists, and interacting with resource managers.

Lauer, D. T.↗