The use of spectral responses of surface in the discrimination of soils surface by remote sensing

Abstract

Quaternary formations occupy all the lower levels of large sedimentary basins, forming thus ephemeral lakes in closed salt depressions, called commonly "sebkhas." They are continental aquatic ecosystems, classified as wetlands of inland backwaters. They provide several functions; such as aquatic life, geochemical and hydrological cycles.The aim of this paper is to characterize the surface states of salty soils of sebkha Sefioune and its surroundings in the north of Ouargla (South-eastern Algeria), by linking the remote sensing data acquired by satellite, observation and exploration of land surface in order to differentiate the surface states of the study area (sebkha Sefioune and nearby).The realization of spectral signatures from the satellite image (Landsat 7 ETM +), allowed us to individualize the soil surface states of sebkha Sefioune and its surroundings (North of Ouargla-Algeria) according to the spectral responses of each surface states.This approach allows us to say that the land surface states have different spectral behaviour according to their colour, water content (humidity), structure (roughness,) mineralogical and geochemical nature.