ERTS-I IMAGERY USE IN RECONNAISSANCE PROSPECTING Evaluation of Commercial Utility of ERTS-I Imagery in Structural Reconnaissance for Mineral and petroleum

摘要

Five areas in North America (North Slope, Alaska;Superior Province, Canada;Williston Basin, Montana, Colorado;and New Mexico—West Texas) are being studied for discernibihty of geological evidence on ERTS-imagery. Evidence mapped is compared with known mineral/hydrocarbon accumulations to determine the value of the imagery in commercial exploration programs.nThe general conclusion at this time is that there is a great advantage in photogeologic interpretation from the satellite viewpoint to provide a truly synoptic examination of regional geologic features. In addition to detecting lineaments which may be continental in scale, many large circular or curvilinear tonal or dissection patterns not generally detected on conventional aerial photos have been discovered Pre¬liminary analysis of these lineaments and curvilinear anomalies has established close empirical relationships between these features and both mineral deposits and the structure of sedimentary basins.nThis report provides details of the Colorado Region interpretation.