Utilizing image processing techniques in lithologic discrimination of Buwatah area, Western Arabian Shield

Abstract

The main task of this article is the evaluation of the IHS color transformation fusion, color composite ratios, and principal component analysis techniques for lithologic discrimination of the basement rocks exposed at Buwatah area, Western Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia. Landsat ETM+ images were prepared and used to perform this task using PCI Geomatica software. IHS fusion technique was conducted through four main processing steps: (1) registration of the multispectral image (7, 4, and 2 in RGB) to the panchromatic image and then resample it to the same spatial resolution as that of the panchromatic image; (2) transformation of the three multispectral bands from RGB to IHS space; (3) substitution of the intensity value from the high spatial resolution panchromatic band; and finally (4) back transformation to RGB. The band ratios 5/7, 3/1, and 4/3 displayed in RGB, respectively, were used to produce the color composite ratio image. The first principal component (PC1), the second principal component (PC2), and the third principal component (PC3), displayed in RGB, respectively, were used to construct the color composite principal component image. The resultant images successfully discriminated the exposed rock units in the study area and a lithologic map has been constructed that is subjected to precise field verification. The stratigraphy of the area under consideration starts with metavolcanics and associated volcaniclastics as an oldest rock unit, followed by granodiorite–diorite, pink granite, biotite granite, acidic and basic dykes, and Cenozoic volcanics. A new rock unit (biotite granite) has been introduced that was not represented in previous mapping of the considered sector. The biotite granite is verified by field and petrographical studies.