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Discrimination of active and inactive sand from remote sensing - Kelso dunes, Mojave Desert, CaliforniaLandsat TM images, field data, and laboratoray reflectance spectra were examined for the Kelso dunes, Mojave Desert, California to assess the use of visible and near-infrared (VNIR) remote sensing data to discriminate aeolian sand populations on the basis of spectral brightness. Results show that areas of inactive sand have a larger percentage of dark, fine-grained materials compared to those composed of active sand, which contain less dark fines and a higher percentage of quartz sand-size grains. Both areas are spectrally distinct in the VNIR, suggesting that VNIR spectral data can be used to discriminate active and inactive sand populations in the Mojave Desert. Analysis of laboratory spectra was complicated by the presence of magnetite in the active sands, which decreases their laboratory reflectance values to those of inactive sands. For this application, comparison of TM and laboratory spectra suggests that less than 35 percent vegetation cover does not influence the TM spectra.
Document ID
19920031863
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Paisley, Elizabeth C. I.
(Arizona State Univ. Tempe, AZ, United States)
Lancaster, Nicholas
(Arizona State Univ. Tempe, AZ, United States)
Gaddis, Lisa R.
(Arizona State Univ. Tempe, AZ, United States)
Greeley, Ronald
(Arizona State University Tempe, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Remote Sensing of Environment
Volume: 37
ISSN: 0034-4257
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Accession Number
92A14487
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-2102
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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