Methodological Approach for the Detection of Ground Cover Changes using Landsat MSS Data

摘要

The case study was the vicinity of Kawachi-Nagano, a city in southwestern Osaka Prefecture. Two different sets of Landsat MSS data from 1979 and 1988 were used to assess changes in ground cover as shown by the retreat of treed areas. The purpose of this study was to detect MSS data more precisely in terms of the band characteristics of ground cover categories. The clear definition of ground cover categories for this purpose was decisive. In particular, it was recognized that MSS data from surveys in different years must be collected in the same season if the purpose of comparing the different sets of data is to categorize treed areas by vegetation. However, it was also found that data taken from surveys in different seasons could give precise results regarding the density and location of treed areas.