Hyperspectral sensing of soil pedons can provide a low-cost alternative to direct measurements of soil chemical and physical properties where large numbers of observations are required to accurately characterize an area or where the cost of analysis and field survey are high. In collaboration with the Allegany County (New York) soil survey, research focused on using quantitative visible and near-infrared (VNIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to characterize the hyperspectral response of selected soil properties, sampled by horizon, that are important to soil survey. This included participation in field soil survey activities to sample six pedons resulting in 27 samples. Sub-samples were obtained for chemical, physical, and hyperspectral analyses. These data, along with more detailed soil chemical and physical characterization to be determined by the national soil survey laboratory, are being used to correlate hyperspectral reflectance with selected soil properties important to soil taxonomy and survey. We are also planning to collect hyperspectral data in situ, prior to extraction of samples for subsequent laboratory and statistical analyses, as an aid to field-based soil survey operations.
See more of Recent Developments in the National Cooperative Soil Survey
See more of S05 Pedology
See more of The ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings (November 6-10, 2005)