Mapping of serpentinites in the Eastern Desert of Egypt by using Landsat thematic mapper data
Research Article| December 01, 1986 Mapping of serpentinites in the Eastern Desert of Egypt by using Landsat thematic mapper data Mohamed Sultan; Mohamed Sultan 1McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Raymond E. Arvidson; Raymond E. Arvidson 1McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Neil C. Sturchio Neil C. Sturchio 2Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Mohamed Sultan 1McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 Raymond E. Arvidson 1McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 Neil C. Sturchio 2Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1986) 14 (12): 995–999. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1986)14<995:MOSITE>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Mohamed Sultan, Raymond E. Arvidson, Neil C. Sturchio; Mapping of serpentinites in the Eastern Desert of Egypt by using Landsat thematic mapper data. Geology 1986;; 14 (12): 995–999. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1986)14<995:MOSITE>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Serpentinites in the Eastern Desert of Egypt were mapped from Landsat thematic mapper (TM) data by using procedures that take advantage of the distinctive spectral reflectance of these rocks caused by the abundance of antigorite, lizardite, clinochrysotile, and magnetite. The method employs a threshold classifier based on three reflectance ratios: (1) band 5/7 for estimating the abundance of hydroxyl-bearing phases, (2) band 5/1 for magnetite content, and (3) the calculated value of reflectance for band 4, based on a linear interpolation between bands 3 and 5, divided by the observed band-4 reflectance. The third ratio was used to identify rocks rich in iron-bearing aluminosilicates and thereby to distinguish mafic rocks containing substantial amounts of magnetite and hydroxyl-bearing phases from serpentinites. The method was first successfully tested over the Meatiq dome and Wadi Ghadir areas, where serpentinites and ophiolitic melanges dominated by serpentinites have been mapped during the course of field work. A TM-based map was then generated; the map covered about 60 000 km2 in the Eastern Desert. Results demonstrate that TM data can be used with reliability to distinguish serpentinites from surrounding rocks in arid regions and to generate detailed maps over wide regions by using quantitative, reproducible mapping criteria. Possibilities for locating suture zones over the less well known parts of arid continents are clear. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.