Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item

    Multispectral analysis of high spatial resolution 256-channel radiometrics for soil and regolith mapping

    17703_Beckett Kirsty 2007.pdf (37.10Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Beckett, Kirsty A
    Date
    2007
    Supervisor
    Dr. Jayson Meyers
    Type
    Thesis
    Award
    PhD
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    School
    Dept. of Exploration Geophysics
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/1434
    Collection
    • Curtin Theses
    Abstract

    Over the past decade studies into the application of radiometrics for soil and regolith mapping have met with mixed response. While the use of radiometric data for regolith mapping has been generally well received, radiometric methods have not commonly been adopted to assist and improve soil mapping. This thesis contributes to the development of radiometric techniques as soil and regolith mapping tools by examining soil characteristics and radiometric response using non-standard radiometric methods. This is accomplished through the development of new data processing methodologies, which extracts additional information from standard radiometric data that is unattainable using standard processing methods, and development of a new interpretation approach to soil and regolith mapping employing the multispectral processed radiometric data. The new multispectral processing methodology resolves seven gamma ray peaks from standard 256-channel NaI radiometric data to produce new radiometric uranium ternary, thorium ternary and uranium ratio imagery. Changes in the gamma ray relationships, identified through the new imagery, identify changes in soil and/or environmental conditions that are absent or difficult to identify in the standard radiometric imagery. With the isolation of non-standard thorium channels 228 [superscript] Ac (900 keV) and 228 [superscript] Ac (1600 keV), case studies in this thesis demonstrate how the difference of 1.9 years (half-life) between thorium 228 [superscript] Ac and 232 [superscript] Th decay daughter products can be mapped through the interpretation of thorium energy using ternary imagery [red: 208 [superscript] Tl (1764 keV), green: 228 [superscript] Ac (900 keV), blue: 228 [superscript] Ac (1600 keV)]. Energy peak differences may be be linked to local variations in soil chemistry, soil movement, and water movement.Additionally, through the isolation of non-standard uranium channels 214 [superscript] Bi (1120 keV) and 214 [superscript] Bi (1253 keV), preferential attenuation of lower energy gamma-rays from 214 [superscript] Bi decay events are exploited to map variations in soil density and/or porosity. These variations are illustrated through the interpretation of uranium energy using ternary imagery [red: 214 [superscript] Bi (1764 keV), green: 214 [superscript] Bi (1120 keV), blue: 214 [superscript] Bi (1253 keV)] and uranium peak energy ratio [214 [superscript] Bi 1120 keV / 214 [superscript] Bi 1764 keV] pseudo colour imagery. Case studies examined in this thesis explore the characteristics of 256-channel radiometric spectrum from different resolution datasets from different Western Australian soil types, provide recommendations for acquiring radiometric data for soil mapping in different agricultural environments, demonstrate how high resolution 256-channel radiometric data can be used to model soil properties in three-dimensions, and illustrate how three-dimension soil models can be used to separate surface waterlogging influences from rising groundwater induced waterlogging.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Application of advanced techniques for the remote detection, modelling and spatial analysis of mesquite (prosopis spp.) invasion in Western Australia
      Robinson, Todd Peter (2008)
      Invasive plants pose serious threats to economic, social and environmental interests throughout the world. Developing strategies for their management requires a range of information that is often impractical to collect ...
    • Lunar neutron energy spectra from isotope abundance measurements on cadmium, samarium and gadolinium.
      Sands, Daphne G. (1998)
      This thesis provides new evidence which contributes to a clearer understanding of the mixing history of the lunar soil, the interactions of cosmic rays with the lunar surface and any temporal and spatial variations in ...
    • Isotopic and elemental tracers in ice and snow as indicators of source regions of aerosols and changing environmental conditions
      Burn, Laurie (2009)
      Pioneering studies of lead (Pb) concentrations in polar ice by Clair C. Patterson and co-workers (e.g. Murozumi et al., 1969; Boutron and Patterson, 1983, 1986) revealed important information on climatic changes dating ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.