Evaluation of Change Detection Techniques for Monitoring Coastal Zone Environments

Abstract

Development of satisfactory techniques for detecting change in coastal zone environments is required before operational monitoring procedures can be established. In an effort to meet this need a study was directed toward developing and evaluating different types of change detection techniques, based upon computer-aided analysis of Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) data, to monitor these environments.\nFour change detection techniques were designed and implemented for evaluation: a) post classification comparison change detection, b) delta data change detection, c) spectrali/temporal change classification, and d) layered spectral/temporal change classification.\nThe post classification comparison technique reliably identified areas of change and was used as the standard for qualitatively evaluating the other three techniques. The layered spectral/temporal change classification and the delta data change detection results generally agreed with the post classification comparison technique results; however, many small areas of change were not identified. Major discrepancies existed between the post classification comparison and spectral/temporal change detection results.