TY - JOUR

T1 - Spatial variation in land cover and choice of spatial resolution for remote sensing

AU - Atkinson, Peter M.

AU - Aplin, Paul S.

N1 - M1 - 18

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - Prior to acquiring remotely sensed imagery with which to map land cover investigators may wish to select an appropriate spatial resolution. Previously, statistics such as the local variance and scale variance have been used to facilitate this goal. However, where such statistics vary locally over the region of interest, their use in selecting a single spatial resolution may be undermined. The variogram and scale variance (plotted as a function of spatial resolution) were predicted for airborne multispectral imagery with a spatial resolution of 4 m of St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK and of Arundel, Sussex, UK. The remotely sensed response in the red and near-infrared wavelengths was found to vary appreciably both within and between broad land categories (such as urban, agricultural and semi-natural areas). These differences mean that where the subject of interest is a general region rather than a specific feature or object the mean local variance or scale variance over that region may be unhelpful in selecting a single spatial resolution. Further, differences observed between the red and near-infrared wavelengths have implications for users who wish to select a single spatial resolution for multispectral imagery.

AB - Prior to acquiring remotely sensed imagery with which to map land cover investigators may wish to select an appropriate spatial resolution. Previously, statistics such as the local variance and scale variance have been used to facilitate this goal. However, where such statistics vary locally over the region of interest, their use in selecting a single spatial resolution may be undermined. The variogram and scale variance (plotted as a function of spatial resolution) were predicted for airborne multispectral imagery with a spatial resolution of 4 m of St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK and of Arundel, Sussex, UK. The remotely sensed response in the red and near-infrared wavelengths was found to vary appreciably both within and between broad land categories (such as urban, agricultural and semi-natural areas). These differences mean that where the subject of interest is a general region rather than a specific feature or object the mean local variance or scale variance over that region may be unhelpful in selecting a single spatial resolution. Further, differences observed between the red and near-infrared wavelengths have implications for users who wish to select a single spatial resolution for multispectral imagery.

U2 - 10.1080/01431160310001654383

DO - 10.1080/01431160310001654383

M3 - Journal article

VL - 25

SP - 3687

EP - 3702

JO - International Journal of Remote Sensing

JF - International Journal of Remote Sensing

SN - 0143-1161

IS - 18

ER -