Author(s)

M.S. Al-Haj

Abstract

Satellite-based remote sensing data have been successfully utilised for mapping, monitoring, planning and development of urban sprawl, the urban environment and land use. With the successful launch of the IKONOS satellite, high spatial resolution data in lm single panchromatic band and 4m resolution data in 4 multispectral bands can be collected. Current satellites allow data to be generated up to 1:50,000scale using IRS (LISS-ll), up to 1:25,000 scale using SPOT data and IRS-IC data up to 1:12,500. IKONOS image data has not only a potential to generate data at 15,000 scale using multispectral (4 bands) for urban areas, but also maps at scales of 1:4,000 -2,000 using panchromatic m g e data can be produced. One of the primary aims of this study is to update the 7Os, 80s maps from aerial photographs and to show the year 2000 current situation of land cover changes in the study area. Also to present a coherent structure of IKONOS satellite imagery contribution to map land cover/use and perform feature extraction studies. The Ibb City sample study area, was georeferenced using the Universal Transverse Macerator (UTM) co-ordinates within MapInfo GIS. Also IKONOS panchromatic image data alone has sufficient geometric accuracy to register correctly with 1:5,000topographic map. IKONOS lm resolution image brings out the finer details of the landcover features of the study area. Examples of the details that can be seen include cars, minor roads, small houses and the fence along with the agricultural terraces with their borders of individual trees and vegetation. This is very significant to allow better feature identification and mapping applications, particularly large scale mapping.

Keywords