Exploring 30 Years of Land Use Change: Landsat Time Series Images and Simple Image Classification Techniques

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Exploring 30 Years of Land Use ChangeLandsat
Time Series Images and Simple Image
Classification Techniques

• Paul Cote
• Lecturer in Landscape Architecture / Urban
  Planning

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500 Design Students
250 Architecture 50 Urban Planning 100 Urban
Design 100 Landscape
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A Representation Engine

• GSD Studio Culture
• Focus on representing, understanding, modifying
  and evaluating places
• Appearance
• Performance
• Intense interest in Spatial Information and
  Spatial Analysis

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GSDs Collection of GIS Tutorials

• http//www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual
• Or Google GIS Manual

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GSDs Collection of GIS Tutorials
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Image Classification Tutorial
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Free Data NASAs Mission to Earth

• North American Landscape Characterization
• Orthorectified, Georeferenced
• Selected Cloud free Images from 1975, 1985, 1995
• 20 from NASA http//eros.usgs.gov/products/satel
  lite/nalc.html
• Free for download from University of Maryland
  Global Land Cover Facilityhttp//glcf.umiacs.umd.
  edu

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Free ToolsMultispec Image Classifier

• From Purdue University
• Runs on Macintosh or Windows
• Many different classification algorithms
• Exchanges data with ArcGIS

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Classification Procedure

• Composite Image bands
• Green,
• Red
• Infrared
• Cluster pixels statistically (Iso Cluster)
• Manually inspect and group clusters into land
  cover classes for sample of image
• Reclassify
• Bring to ArcGIS to find areas of change

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Cape Cod 1977
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Cape Cod 1999
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Unsupervised Clustering 1977
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Grouped Clusters 1977
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Unsupervised Clustering 1999
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Grouped Clusters 1999
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Reclassified Clusters 1977
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Reclassified Clusters 1977
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Change 1977-1999
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Change 1977-1999
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Caveats

• This analysis is far from scientific
• The method is strictly exploratory
• It is useful for highlighting areas for closer
  inspection
• Intended primarily to introduce data resources,
  tools and classification techniques.

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On-Line Tutorial with Cape Cod Images

• www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual/image_class

Paul Cote Lecturer in Landscape Architecture /
Urban Planning
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Exploring 20 Years of Land Use ChangeFree
Data Landsat Time Series Images Free Tools
Multispec Image Classifier
Reclassified Forested / Not
Indicated Change Deforested
Reforested
1977 Image
Clustered
Reclassified Forested / Not
1999 Image
Clustered