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Thermal infrared satellite data for the study of tectonic features
Author(s) -
Andre Constance G.,
Blodget Herbert W.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl011i010p00983
Subject(s) - advanced very high resolution radiometer , remote sensing , satellite , infrared , geology , radiometry , multispectral image , tectonics , radiometer , thermal infrared , advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer , image resolution , seismology , digital elevation model , optics , physics , astronomy
Multispectral thermal infrared data from the NOAA‐7 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) have been processed to evaluate their potential for mapping tectonic features. Day/night ratio data from 3 thermal bands between 3.7 and 12.0 µm were used to construct a thermal infrared color image that emphasizes heat retention differences in surface materials as a function of wavelength. The study area is an arid region of the Arabian Peninsula where lithologic units are widely exposed to satellite detectors. In spite of the coarse resolution of 1.1 km at nadir, the image of emitted radiation data contains prominent features that appear to relate to fault systems, unmapped extensions of fault systems, and drainage patterns that are lacking in AVHRR reflected radiation data.