Experimental application of LANDSAT to geobotanical prospecting of serpentine outcrops in the central Appalachian Piedmont of North America

The use of LANDSAT as a tool for geobotanical prospecting was studied in a 13,137 sq km area from southeastern Pennsylvania to northern Virginia. Vegetation differences between known serpentine and non-sepentine sites were most easily distinguished on early summer images. A multispectral signature was derived from vegetation of two known serpentine sites and a map was produced of 159 similar signatures of vegetation in the study area. Authenticity of the serpentine nature of the mapped sites was checked via geochemical analysis of collected soils from 14% of the sites. Overall success of geobotanical prospecting was about 35% for the total study area. When vegetation distribution was taken into account, the success rate was 67% for the region north of the Potomac, demonstrates the effectiveness of the multispectral satellite for quickly and accurately locating mineral sensitive vegetation communities over vast tracts of land.