Evaluating the information content of JERS-1 SAR and Landsat TM data for discrimination of soil erosion features

A digital classification using Landsat TM and JERS-1 SAR data covering the visible, infrared, thermal and microwave regions of the spectrum was implemented to detect and map soil erosion features in the Sacaba Valley (Bolivia). Three objectives were pursued: (1) soil erosion mapping by using the visible, infrared and thermal bands of the Landsat TM scene; (2) class allocation by merging JERS-1 microwave and Landsat TM data sets; and (3) evaluation of the accuracy improvements in the detection of soil erosion features by merging the two data sets. The synergy of Landsat TM and JERS-1 data provided a unique combination that allowed more accurate identification of badlands, slightly eroded miscellaneous land, fallow land and moderately eroded areas, as compared to the results obtained by Landsat TM Differences in the surface roughness determined variations in the amount of energy returning to the radar antenna, thus improving discrimination of classes exhibiting similar spectral behaviour in the visible and infrared wavelengths. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.