THE MAPPING OF NATURAL RESOURCES BY SIDE-SCAN RADAR IN BRAZIL

The article describes the Radam (Radar da Amazonia) project to update data concerning Brazilian Amazonia to provide guidance for settlement and exploration. Air-borne side-scan radar, with its ability to penetrate cloud and fine rain, was used to produce 117 subject maps covering geology, geomorphology, soils, suitability for farming, vegetation and potential land use. With this side-scan system, where images can be obtained by day or night, the morphology of the ground is enhanced by the shadow effect which makes the relief stand out sharply. In the field of geology the parameters used in radar interpretation were identified as - morphology, drainage, relative strengths of rocks, texture, soil cover, soil humidity and laterite cover. To supplement the technical information, a socio-economic diagnosis was made of each area studied. (TRRL)

Corporate Authors:
Mineralogical Society

41 Queen's Gate
London SW7, England
Authors:
- Bittencourtka, M C
Publication Date: 1979-10

Media Info

Features: Photos;
Pagination: p. 354-359
Serial:
- Mineralogical Magazine
- Volume: 141
- Issue Number: 4
- Publisher: Mineralogical Society

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Airborne navigational aids; Classification; Drainage; Exploration; Farms; Geology; Geomorphology; Humidity; Land use; Mapping; Natural resources; Radar; Rocks; Socioeconomic factors; Soils; Strength of materials; Surveying; Vegetation
Geographic Terms: Brazil
Old TRIS Terms: Airborne radar
ITRD Terms: 8012: Brazil; 8513: Classification; 2937: Drainage; 4053: Geology; 4055: Geomorphology; 5920: Moisture content; 6738: Radar; 4154: Rock; 4156: Soil; 5544: Strength (mater); 4025: Surveying (land)
Subject Areas: Economics; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Society; I41: General Soil Surveys;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 00311761
Record Type: Publication
Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
Files: ITRD, TRIS
Created Date: Oct 27 1980 12:00AM