This presentation will present the examination of spaceborne radar and optical data independently and in combination for land use/cover mapping. Improved classification accuracy was obtained when these independent data sets were combined often with the use of radar-derived measures such as texture. One of the study sites had a merged sensor accuracy improvement of 18 percent over either sensor independently. Four different methods to combine the two sensor types are compared. The highest classification accuracies did not occur in all study sites with the same procedures for sensor integration. Generally, a procedure with a more equal weighting of the number of bands from each sensor was best such as three of the Principle Components Analysis (PCA) bands from the optical data with radar texture measures. Examples from Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Nepal will be examined.

The Geography Seminar Series is organized by the Geographical Honors Society Gamma Theta Upsilon Eta Omicron Chapter.