High Resolution Aircraft Scanner Mapping of Geothermal and Volcanic Areas

• Main Authors: Mongillo, M. A., Cochrane, G. R., Wood, C. P., Shibata, Y.
• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wairakei Research Centre, Taupo, NZ 1995
• Subjects: Wavelengths Geothermal Legacy; Plants; Hydrothermal Alteration; Geothermal Fields; Remote Sensing; Color; Geothermal Legacy; Resolution; 15 Geothermal Energy; Aircraft; Spatial Resolution; Islands; Water; New Zealand; White Island
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc888920/

High spectral resolution GEOSCAN Mkll multispectral aircraft scanner imagery has been acquired, at 3-6 m spatial resolutions, over much of the Taupo Volcanic Zone as part of continuing investigations aimed at developing remote sensing techniques for exploring and mapping geothermal and volcanic areas. This study examined the 24-band: visible, near-IR (NIR), mid-IR (MIR) and thermal-IR (TIR) imagery acquired over Waiotapu geothermal area (3 m spatial resolution) and White Island volcano (6 m resolution). Results show that color composite images composed of visible and NIR wavelengths that correspond to color infrared (CIR) photographic wavelengths can be useful for distinguishing among bare ground, water and vegetation features and, in certain cases, for mapping various vegetation types. However, combinations which include an MIR band ({approx} 2.2 {micro}m) with either visible and NIR bands, or two NIR bands, are the most powerful for mapping vegetation types, water bodies, and bare and hydrothermally altered ground. Combinations incorporating a daytime TIR band with NIR and MIR bands are also valuable for locating anomalously hot features and distinguishing among different types of surface hydrothermal alteration.