REMOTE REMOTE SENSING SENSING

TO TO GEOLOGYGEOLOGY

The collection and The collection and interpretation of interpretation of

information about an information about an object without physical object without physical contact with the object; contact with the object; eg, satellite imaging, eg, satellite imaging, aerial photography, aerial photography,

and open path and open path measurements.measurements.

Satellite remote Satellite remote sensing has sensing has

become a common become a common tool to investigate tool to investigate the different fields the different fields

of Earth and of Earth and environmental environmental

sciences. sciences.

GEOLOGYGEOLOGY

Remote sensing is Remote sensing is used as a tool to used as a tool to extract information extract information about the land surface about the land surface structure, composition structure, composition or subsurface, but is or subsurface, but is often combined with often combined with other data sources other data sources providing providing complementary complementary measurements. measurements.

Remote sensing is not Remote sensing is not limited to direct geology limited to direct geology applications - it is also applications - it is also used to support logistics, used to support logistics, such as route planning for such as route planning for access into a mining area, access into a mining area, reclamation monitoring, reclamation monitoring, and generating basemaps and generating basemaps upon which geological upon which geological data can be referenced or data can be referenced or superimposed.superimposed.

Geological applications of remote sensing include the Geological applications of remote sensing include the following:following:

surficial deposit / bedrock mapping surficial deposit / bedrock mapping lithological mapping lithological mapping structural mapping structural mapping sand and gravel (aggregate) exploration/ exploitation sand and gravel (aggregate) exploration/ exploitation mineral exploration mineral exploration hydrocarbon exploration hydrocarbon exploration environmental geology environmental geology geobotany geobotany baseline infrastructure baseline infrastructure sedimentation mapping and monitoring sedimentation mapping and monitoring event mapping and monitoring event mapping and monitoring geo-hazard mapping and planetary mapping geo-hazard mapping and planetary mapping

Geoenvironmental Geoenvironmental research can help to research can help to identify the causes of identify the causes of these events, point these events, point the way to the way to rehabilitation rehabilitation measures, and lend measures, and lend support for early support for early warning systems warning systems

Remote sensing Remote sensing adds considerably adds considerably to this research by to this research by providing a wide providing a wide variety of sensors variety of sensors operated from operated from airborne and airborne and satellite platforms. satellite platforms.

The GARS Program The GARS Program of UNESCO and of UNESCO and IUGS provides a IUGS provides a means of continually means of continually investigating the investigating the geological geological applicability of applicability of remote-sensing remote-sensing techniques. techniques.

The multispectral The multispectral scanner images scanner images from the first non-from the first non-meteorological, meteorological, civilian Earth civilian Earth observation observation satellites, the US satellites, the US LANDSAT series LANDSAT series launched in 1972 launched in 1972

The LANDSAT The LANDSAT images were images were received received enthusiastically by enthusiastically by a small scientific a small scientific community, mostly community, mostly geologists, geologists, oceanographers oceanographers and geographers. and geographers.

The GARS Program, The GARS Program, jointly sponsored by jointly sponsored by UNESCO and IUGS, UNESCO and IUGS, was inaugurated in was inaugurated in 1984 (Weber, 1985) 1984 (Weber, 1985) LANDSAT-1,and LANDSAT-1,and LANDSAT-4, containing LANDSAT-4, containing Thematic Mapper, was Thematic Mapper, was launched, adding an launched, adding an additional three bands additional three bands in the SWIR (short-wave in the SWIR (short-wave infrared) to the existing infrared) to the existing visible (VIS) and near-visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) bands. infrared (NIR) bands.

Remote sensing has Remote sensing has become a widely become a widely

accepted research accepted research tool by almost all tool by almost all

Geological Surveys Geological Surveys

the world over.the world over.

Why remote Why remote sensing?sensing?

A synoptic view of A synoptic view of regional scale is a regional scale is a much different much different perspective than perspective than point ground point ground observations observations when trying to when trying to map structural map structural elementselements. .

Remote sensing Remote sensing offers this offers this perspective and perspective and allows a geologist to allows a geologist to examine other examine other reference ancillary reference ancillary data simultaneously data simultaneously and synergistically, and synergistically, such as geo-such as geo-magnetic magnetic information.information.

Remote sensing gives the overview Remote sensing gives the overview required to required to

1.Construct regional unit maps, useful for 1.Construct regional unit maps, useful for small scale analyses, and planning field small scale analyses, and planning field traverses to sample and verify various traverses to sample and verify various units for detailed mapping; units for detailed mapping;

2.Understand the spatial distribution and 2.Understand the spatial distribution and surface relationships between the units. surface relationships between the units.

Remote sensing offers Remote sensing offers this perspective and this perspective and allows a geologist to allows a geologist to examine other examine other reference ancillary reference ancillary data simultaneously data simultaneously and synergistically, and synergistically, such as geo-magnetic such as geo-magnetic information.information.

Geologic Unit MappingGeologic Unit Mapping

Mapping geologic Mapping geologic units consists units consists primarily of primarily of identifying identifying physiographic units physiographic units and determining the and determining the rock lithology or rock lithology or coarse stratigraphy coarse stratigraphy of exposed units. of exposed units.

Data requirementsData requirements

Two different scales of mapping require slightly Two different scales of mapping require slightly different imaging sources and parameters:different imaging sources and parameters:

1. For site specific analysis, airphotos provide a 1. For site specific analysis, airphotos provide a high resolution product that can provide high resolution product that can provide information on differential weathering, tone, and information on differential weathering, tone, and microdrainage. Photos may be easily viewed in microdrainage. Photos may be easily viewed in stereo to assess relief characteristics. stereo to assess relief characteristics.

2. Regional overviews require large coverage area 2. Regional overviews require large coverage area and moderate resolution. An excellent data and moderate resolution. An excellent data source for regional applications is a synergistic source for regional applications is a synergistic combination of radar and optical images to combination of radar and optical images to highlight terrain and textural information. highlight terrain and textural information.

Today, with each new satellite in space, Today, with each new satellite in space, some of the previous work has to be some of the previous work has to be repeated in order to test the new repeated in order to test the new technologies. This has led to a wider technologies. This has led to a wider acceptance of remote sensing for acceptance of remote sensing for geological applications and it has found its geological applications and it has found its place among the disciplines of the earth place among the disciplines of the earth sciences. sciences.

Interpretation of the pictureInterpretation of the pictureThe Navajo Sandstone The Navajo Sandstone ((aa) is the brightest single unit in the scene, followed by the valley floor to the ) is the brightest single unit in the scene, followed by the valley floor to the

east, much of which is covered by alluvium east, much of which is covered by alluvium ((bb). The Entrada ). The Entrada ((cc) and Wingate ) and Wingate ((dd) Sandstones are notably darker, as is the top surfaces of the Mesaverde ) Sandstones are notably darker, as is the top surfaces of the Mesaverde ((ee). Note that the Wingate "pinches" out along the Fold towards the bottom of ). Note that the Wingate "pinches" out along the Fold towards the bottom of

the image, which suggests that its dip steepens making its outcrop pattern the image, which suggests that its dip steepens making its outcrop pattern thinner. The Kayenta Formation thinner. The Kayenta Formation

((ff) is barely discernible in the image as a thin, darker tone, but the Chinle ) is barely discernible in the image as a thin, darker tone, but the Chinle ((gg), also darker, has a wider outcrop pattern, because it is thicker and less ), also darker, has a wider outcrop pattern, because it is thicker and less

steeply dipping. The Emery Sandstone steeply dipping. The Emery Sandstone ((hh) has a darker tone than the overlying Masuk Shale ) has a darker tone than the overlying Masuk Shale ((ii) because, in the field, it is dark brown (similar to the Dakota Sandstone seen ) because, in the field, it is dark brown (similar to the Dakota Sandstone seen

in the foreground of this picture from the ground).in the foreground of this picture from the ground).

These dark These dark features are features are outspillings of salt outspillings of salt that have been that have been called "salt called "salt glaciers". glaciers".

Atlas Mountain system of Atlas Mountain system of northwest Africa northwest Africa

Atlas Mountain system of Atlas Mountain system of northwest Africa northwest Africa

The white sinuous band against a fold ridge The white sinuous band against a fold ridge

is a dry stream or wadi.is a dry stream or wadi.

These are the highest mountains in Africa and resemble parts of the These are the highest mountains in Africa and resemble parts of the

Alps except that the vegetation is distinctly different.Alps except that the vegetation is distinctly different.

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