Preston Chamberlin

ID#: 800813877
ESCI 4170
Lab 3
Image Transformations and Interpretation
4/5/2016

1
INTRODUCTION
Lab three focuses on image transformations and interpretations. The lab utilizes a multiband
dataset to perform image transformations. Along with performing the transformations, we aim
to realize the changes the various modifications have had on general landscape features. The
data and findings obtained will be presented in this report.

METHODS
Lab 3 uses the same Landsat 7 ETM+ data as Lab 1. This region covers the areas between
Charlotte, NC, Greenville, SC, and Colombia, SC. This lab requires the use of ENVI software and a
few gigabytes of hard drive space, 5-10 GB to aid in ease of use.
The first step involves simply creating a new multispectral image. We want to do this as
we want our transformations to affect each band so we can more efficiently pick out trends in
the data when needed. We also need to switch around the various channels to reflect the
different light bands. To start, load the lab 1 Landsat 7 ETM+ bands into ENVI. There should be
around 9 bands, we only need 6 of these for our image; bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 will work. Next,
go to Raster management and select Layer stacking. This will combine the chosen 6 bands into
one multi-band image. We saved this new image as Charlotte_Multi.
Step two of lab three is where we begin altering our image we previously created. What
we want to do with our multiband image is calculate the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation
Index). This is done by using the Band Math function in ENVI, a tool which takes computable
formulas to perform transformations on an image band. Under Band Ratio, select Band Math and
choose Charlotte_Multi as the input image. Next, enter the statement to perform the alteration
into the window. Lastly, match the near infrared band to b4 and the red band to b3. This is
shown below:

2
 For the third step of the lab we performed a Tasseled Cap Transformation. Using our
original multiband image again for this step, choose Transform and then Tasseled cap from
the tools menu. Choose the Landsat 7 ETM+ sensor as that is where our data is from. Six layers
should have been created from this method. Of these six layers, the ones important to us are
brightness, greenness, and wetness.

3
 The next part of the lab (step 4) involves a HSV (Hue-Saturation-Value) transformation.
Under the Image Sharpening tool, select HSV Sharpening. True color RGB bands should be
activated from our Charlotte_Multi image as the input.

The high resolution reference image we are sharpening the original with is band 8 of the original
Landsat 7 ETM+ data set. This band will have to be opened from the menu as it would not be
already opened in ENVI.
Lastly, step 5 enables us to perform a Principal Components Analysis (PCA). This is done
by going to Transform, PCA rotation, and selecting Forward PCA rotation New Statistics and
Rotate. Charlotte_Multi should be your input image. This step will provide you with a chart and
a new image.

4
RESULTS

FIGURE 1 CHARLOTTE_MULTI MULTIBAND IMAGE

5
FIGURE 2 CHARLOTTE_MULTI MULTIBAND IMAGE (RGB TRUECOLOR)

6
FIGURE 3 NDVI IMAGE (FLOAT(B4)-B3)/(FLOAT(B4)+B3)

7
 FIGURE 4 NDVI HEALTHY VEGETATION IMAGE

You can discern healthy and poor vegetation quite simply by just looking at the area. In figure 5
(below), the City of Charlotte, NC is depicted. Uptown, depicted in black, is a very urban
environment, thus low vegetation values. This must mean that lighter, white areas, contain more
healthy growth.

8
FIGURE 5 NDVI POOR VEGETATION IMAGE

9
FIGURE 6 TASSELED CAP TRANSFORMATION (BRIGHTNESS)

10
FIGURE 7 TASSELED CAP TRANSFORMATION (GREENNESS)

11
FIGURE 8 TASSELED CAP TRANSFORMATION (WETNESS)

12
FIGURE 9 TASSELED CAP TRANSFORMATION (BRIGHTNESS)
BRIGHT PIXEL

13
FIGURE 10 HSV SHARPNESS TRANSFORMED IMAGE

FIGURE 11 DEFAULT RGB TRUECOLOR MULTIBAND IMAGE

14
 FIGURE 12 PC EIGENVALUES PLOT

DISCUSSION
For step 2 of the lab we performed a band math function on the image to get an image
for analyzing the NDVI. We had to use a calculation to do this, which was NDVI image = (float(b4)-
b3)/(float(b4)+b3). We used the variables float because they allow for us to store numerical
values with decimal places. An integer, for example, only supports whole numbers with no
decimals. NDVI measures the amount of visible and near infrared light reflected by vegetation.
Healthy vegetation (left) absorbs most of the visible light that hits it, and reflects a large portion
of the near-infrared light. Unhealthy or sparse vegetation (right) reflects more visible light and
less near-infrared light.1 NDVI values range from -1 to +1, with most values being numbers of

1
Measuring Vegetation (NDVI & EVI), NASA
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/MeasuringVegetation/measuring_vegetation_2.php

15
one or two decimal places (.75 etc.). A result at or near 0 means there is no or little vegetation.
The closer you get to +1, the more dense green vegetation becomes.
Visually, the information you can define from the brightness channel of the Tasseled Cap
transformation is the difference in how bright or dark some surface is. It is measured by taking
the weighted sum of all six bands and gives you the overall reflectance. If you look at the roads
and pavement of towns in figure 9 you can see they are fairly bright compared to the rivers in
the area. From the greenness channel you can measure the presence and density of green
vegetation. This is measured from the contrast between near infrared light and visible. Lastly,
wetness measures the amount of moisture in the soil. This is done by taking the contrast between
the shortwave infrared light and the visible or near infrared light.
We perform RGB to HSV transformations to sharpen an image with a finer resolution
panchromatic image because sharpening looks to better define the brightness differences of
edges. A higher resolution image will have more pixels to mess with and thus, finer lines and
harder edges.
A PC Eigenvalue plot tells you how much variance is measured along components.
Components are essentially structure in the data you are observing. The direction where the data
has the most variance. Eigenvalues always come with Eigenvectors. Eigenvectors represent
direction, while eigenvalues show variance in the data. Essentially, you can visually assess which
components or factors explain most of the variability in the data.2 In figure 12, one can guess
that the most change in the data occurs within factors 1-2, maybe 3.

2
What is a scree plot?, Minitlab
http://support.minitab.com/en-us/minitab/17/topic-library/modeling-statistics/multivariate/principal-
components-and-factor-analysis/what-is-a-scree-plot/

16
CONCLUSION
Overall, Lab three wasnt very difficult, yet it was one of the more engaging labs. I found
it quite interesting, especially how we got to see the ways various transformations effected the
visibility of the image we were using. Even researching the statistics behind some of these
methods struck a note with me. By finding the NDVI and using the tasseled cap transformation I
got to understand more about what goes in to making these images serve more of a purpose in
the science fields. The tasseled cap transformations, such as wetness, could be very important to
somebody looking to gather moisture data on vegetation. From one set of data on one topic, you
can derive a plethora of information that can be used in multiple fields, and I find that to be very
rewarding.

17
REFERENCES

Measuring Vegetation (NDVI & EVI), NASA

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/MeasuringVegetation/measuring_vegetation_2.php

What is a scree plot?, Minitlab

http://support.minitab.com/en-us/minitab/17/topic-library/modeling-statistics/multivariate/principal-
components-and-factor-analysis/what-is-a-scree-plot/

18