Digital Image Processing of Remotely Sensed Data

Digital Image Processing of Remotely Sensed Data presents a practical approach to digital image processing of remotely sensed data, with emphasis on application examples and algorithms. It explains where to get the data and what is available and what preprocessing is needed to prepare the imagery for processing. Research topics are described to indicate the limitations of computer methods. This book is comprised of seven chapters and begins with a summary of basic concepts used in remote sensing and digital imagery, followed by a discussion on sources of remotely sensed data. Two essential hardware ingredients in a digital image processing system, a computer and a display device, are then considered, along with the algorithms used in digital image processing. Examples of how digital image processing algorithms have been applied to real imagery for specific objectives are given, including the Kentucky water impoundment experiment and the land-use mapping initiative in Washington, D.C. The next section is devoted to research topics such as digital image shape detection; edge detection and regionalized terrain classification from satellite photography; and digital image enhancement for maximum interpretability using linear programming. This monograph will be of value to professional regional planners, natural resource managers, and others in fields ranging from hydrology and forestry to agronomy and geology.