Image Interpretation
Image Interpretation
• When we can identify what we see on the images
and communicate this information to others, we
are practicing image interpretation.
• Success in image interpretation varies with the,
• Training and experience of the interpreter
• The nature of the objects or phenomena being
interpreted
• Quality of the images being utilized.
Importance of image interpretation
1) The aerial/regional perspective
2) Three dimensional depth perception
3) Knowledge beyond our human visual perception
4) The ability to obtain historical records on change
The aerial/regional perspective
Three dimensional depth perception
Aircraft Flight line
Photo 1
Height (topography)
3D world Ground
Sea level
Knowledge beyond our human visual
perception
Green band Red band Near Infrared band
False Colour Image
(RGB: NearIR, Red, Green)
Agricultural area in Saudi Arabia
The ability to obtain historical records
on change
Green Spaces Green Spaces
1992 2009
Image Interpretation
•Visual Image Interpretation
•Digital Image Interpretation
Spatial Pattern Interpretation and Spectral
Pattern Interpretation
• Spectral Pattern Interpretation
• A procedure that utilizes pixel by pixel spectral
information as the basis for automated image
classification
• Use in digital image interpretation
• Spatial Pattern Interpretation
• Categorization of image pixels on the basis of their spatial
relationships with pixels surrounding them
• Use in visual image interpretation
• The most important task is to establish interpretation
keys, i.e. identifying the typical spatial and spectral
patterns of known geographical features.
Visual image interpretation
Elements of image interpretation
X,Y location
There are two primary methods of obtaining
precise x, y coordinate information:
• GPS receivers
• Obtain x, y coordinates through image
rectification
Size
The most commonly measured parameters –
length, width, perimeter, area
To do this it is necessary to know the scale of the
photography
In the case of digital imagery it
is necessary to know the spatial
resolution
Shape
Shape refers to the general form, configuration or outline of
individual objects.
Linear, Curvilinear, Circular, Elliptical, Radial, Square,
Rectangular, Triangular, Hexagonal, Star, Elongated,
Amorphous (no unique shape)
Shape
Shadow
Shadows are important to interpreters in two opposing
respects:
The shape or outline of a shadow affords an
impression of the profile view of objects (which aids
interpretation)
Objects within shadows reflect little light and are
difficult to discern on an image (which hinders
interpretation)
Shadow
Most remote sensing data is collected within ±2 hours of
solar noon to avoid extensive shadows in the imagery.
Sometimes the shadow cast by an object may be the
only real clue to an object’s identity
Shadow
In certain instances, shadows can provide clues about the
height of an object when the image interpreter does not
have access to stereoscopic imagery.
H
tan =
H S
object
S
Shadow
Shadow
Sometimes individual tree crowns or shadows can be seen on
larger-scale aerial photography…
For foresters, this is a valuable tool in producing cover type maps
Tone & Color
A band of electromagnetic energy recorded by a remote
sensing system may be displayed in shades of gray
ranging from black to white.
These shades of gray are usually referred to as “tone”
Ex: Bright tone, Dark tone
The degree of brightness is a function of the amount of
light reflected from the scene within the specific
wavelength interval.
Tone & Colour
For an example
green vegetation
absorbs high
percentage of
incident green light
for photosynthetic
purposes and
reflects few amount
of green light. This
causes green
vegetation to appear
relatively dark in a
single band green
image.
Color Space
Texture
Texture is the frequency of tonal change on an image. It
determines the overall visual “smoothness” of image
features.
Ex:- Smooth texture (uniform, homogeneous)
Intermediate texture
Rough texture (coarse, heterogeneous)
Texture of a photograph is a function of the scale
Texture
Texture
Intermediate
Coarse
Texture
Texture
1:500 1:5000
Texture of a Smooth
photograph is a Texture
function of the
scale
1:50000
Pattern
Pattern is the spatial arrangement of objects in the
landscape.
The objects can be arranged randomly or systematically.
They may be natural as with a drainage pattern, or
manmade as with the township.
Ex: - Random, Systematic, Circular, Centripetal, Oval,
Curvilinear, linear, radiating, rectangular, hexagonal,
pentagonal, octagonal, etc.
Pattern
Pattern
Drainage Patterns
Height and Depth
The ability to visually identify and measure the height
(elevation) or depth (bathymetry) of an object or
landform is one of the most investigative elements of
image interpretation
Site and Association
Site
A site has unique physical and/or socioeconomic
characteristics.
The physical characteristics might include elevation,
slope, aspect, and type of surface cover (ex: - soil, grass,
scrub, water, concrete).
The socioeconomic characteristics might include the land
value, land ownership, demographic characteristics
Association
Association refers to the fact that when you find a
certain phenomena or activity, you almost invariably
encounter related or associated features or activities.
Site and Association
Approaching the image interpretation process
1. The first is the definition of the classification system or
criteria to separate the various categories of features
occurring in the image.
For example, in mapping land use the interpreter must
fix firmly in mind what specific characteristics
determine if an area is “residential”, “commercial” or
“industrial”.
Approaching the image interpretation process
2. The second important thing is the selection of “Minimum
Mapping Unit” (MMU) to be employed in process.
Forest types mapped using large Forest types mapped using small
MMU: D, deciduous; E, evergreen MMU: M, Maple; O, Oak; J, Jack pine
Experience suggests that it is advisable to delineate the most highly contrasted feature
types first and to work from the general to the specific. For example, in a land use mapping
effort it would be better to separate “urban” from “water” and “agriculture” before
separating more detailed categories of each of these feature types based on subtle
differences.
Land use / Land cover mapping
• The term land cover relates to the type of feature
present on the surface of the earth. Ex: paddy fields,
lakes, buildings, coconut trees, highways
• The term land use relates to the human activity or
economic function associated with a specific piece of
land. Ex: Commercial, Residential and Industrial land
uses.
• The use of panchromatic, medium scale aerial
photographs to map land use has been an accepted
practice since 1940s. More recently, small scale aerial
photographs and satellite images have been utilized for
land use/ land cover mapping.
Land use / Land cover mapping
• A knowledge of both land use and land cover can be
important for land planning and land management
activities.
• For a study of socioeconomic aspects of land use
planning (school requirements, municipal services, tax
income, etc), it would be important to know that the
use of this land is for single family dwellings.
• For a hydrologic study of rainfall-runoff characteristics,
it would be important to know the amount and
distribution of roofs, pavement, grass and trees in this
tract.
Land use / Land cover mapping
• While land cover information can be directly
interpreted from appropriate remote sensing
images, information about human activity on the
land (land use) cannot always be inferred directly
from land cover. Thus, additional information
sources are needed to supplement the land cover
data.
