Remote Sensing analysis
These bands are in the VNIR (aka CIR) range and highlight actively
photosynthesizing vegetation (showns as red), undisturbed bedrock and
soils (browns, greens, and greys), and the built environment (blues, greens, reddish-purples,
and whites). Most of the vegetation is in urbanized areas.
ASTER bands 8, 6, and 4 are in the SWIR range and highlight spectral features
diagnostic for iron oxides, illite, kaolinite, and carbonates. These features illustrate different
mineral compositions.
ASTER bands 13, 12, and 10 are in the TIR range and highlight spectral features
diagnostic for silicates, iron- and magnesium-bearing minerals and rocks, and carbonates.
Quartzites are bright red, basaltic rocks are blue, granitoids are purple-violet, and carbonates
are greenish yellow.
The NDVI computed from the ASTER Image The NDVI shows the relative
abundance of actively photosynthesizing vegetation and how healthy the vegetation is in the area.
The high contrast between these features is due to
the NDVI showing actively photosynthesizing vegetation. The brighter pixels demonstrate the healthy
vegetation and the darker areas illustrate rock units.
ASTER Imaging Data of Phoenix Metrolpolitan Area