WETMAAP Skill 1
Texas City/Virginia Point: Element 11

Skill 1: Map Use
Element 11: Use of Airborne Images

Materials:

1992 Airborne TM Images (3)

1992 Aerial Photograph

NASA pamphlet on Airborne Program

Magnifying glass

NASA Background Slides

 

Exercise:

1. The 1992 Aerial Photograph is a Color Infrared (CIR) Image.

What does "Color Infrared" mean?

 

2. Which of the three Airborne TM Images approximates a Color Infrared image?

 

 

3. One of the other Airborne TM Images replicates a Natural Color (NC) Image.

What does "Natural Color" mean?

 

 

4. The third Airborne TM Image replicates the Mid-Infrared (MIR) Image.

What does "Mid-Infrared" mean?

 

 

5. Using the NASA Background Slides:

Draw the Light Spectrum below, and indicate:

Where the Natural Color portion of the spectrum is derived, and where the Mid-Infrared portion of the spectrum is found.

 

6. On which of the three Airborne TM Images does:

 

(Check appropriate column)
NC          CIR        MIR
 

Vegetation look most natural

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Vegetation most distinguishable from other land cover types

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Types of vegetation are most distinguishable

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Sandbars and Flats are most discernable

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Wetlands show up best

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Water penetration is best

  

 

  

 

  

 

 
 

 

Urban areas show up best

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

7. Compare the Color Infrared Airborne (TM-CIRA) Image to the Color Infrared Aerial Photograph (CIRAP)

 

(Circle appropriate choice)
CIRA -TM CIRAP
 

Which has the best resolution (sharpest features)

  

YES

  

NO
 

Is there a difference in vegetation appearance between the two?

 

YES

  

NO
 

Is there a difference in appearance between Sand Bars and Flats?

  

YES

  

NO

 

8. List two other differences that you have observed between the Color Infrared Aerial Photograph and the Color Infrared Thematic Mapper Image.

1.

2.

 

9. How does the:

Color Infrared Airborne Image differ from the Mid-Infrared Airborne Image (it doesn’t count to say that one is red and one is green—those are artifacts to visualize the data).

Natural Color Image differ from the Color Infrared Airborne Image

Natural Color Image differ from the Mid-Infrared Airborne Image?

 

10. What is the scale of the Airborne TM Images?

(Refer to Skill 2, Element 1: Scale)

 

Scale: