Improvement in understanding the dynamic mechanisms that are now taking place in the Earth's crust is needed to adequately describe the processes that have taken place throughout geologic time. The difficult task of reconstructing the tectonic history of the Earth will be a major step in explaining the occurrence of mineral resources, in aiding us in the search for new resources, and in aiding prediction of geologic hazards associated with crustal movements. Watson, R. D., Hemphill, W. R., Hessen, T. D., and Bigelow, R. C., 9th, Ann Arbor, Mich. 1974, Proc., p. 1959-1980. Watson, R. D., and Hemphill, W. R., 1976, Use of an airborne Fraunhofer line discriminator for the detection of solar stimulated luminescence, U.S. Geol. Survey open-file report 76202, 110 p., 29 figs., 18 tables. Watson, R. D. and Theisen, A. F., 1977, Mapping luminescence of uranium bearing sandstones using an imaging Fraunhofer line discriminator, 16 p.. 6 figs. Watson, R. D., Henry, M. E., Theisen, A. F., Donovan, T. J., Hemphill, W. R., in press, Marine monitoring of natural oil slicks and man-made wastes using an airborne imaging Fraunhofer line discriminator, 4th Joint Conf. on Sensing of Environmental Pollutants, New Orleans, Nov. 7-11, 1977, 6 p., 4 figs., 3 tables. Williams, R. S., Jr., 1977, Landsat image of dynamic marine phenomena off the southwest coast of Iceland (abs): 1 p. Williams, R. S., Jr., Mecklenburg, T. N., Abrams, M. J., and Gudmundsson, Bragi, 1977, Conventional vs. computer-enhanced Simonette, D. S., 1976, Application review for a space program imaging radar: GRSU Technical Report #1, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, NASA, Houston, Texas. Skenderoff, C., Guignard, J. P., Coldrick, J. R., Mooney, H., and Noel, J., 1974, A preliminary feasibility study on a synthetic aperture radar (SARSAT) for earth resources surveys: Internat. Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, 9th, Ann Arbor, Mich. Taiti, Simon, 1975, A report on an excursion around Mt. Kenya with ERTS data in Deutsch, Morris, East Africa Seminar and Workshop on Remote Sensing of Natural Resources and Environment: Survey Proj. Rept. (IR) NC-41, p. C-11 to C-15. U.S. Geol. U.S. Geological Survey, 1965, Scope, importance and resolution requirements of geoscience problems to be attacked by orbit remote-sensor U.S. Geological Survey, 1977a, Vatnajökull, Iceland, (Fall scene): Landsat Image Format Series, N6359W01723, Experimental Printing, 1:500,000-scale, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. U.S. Geological Survey, 1977b, Vatnajökull, Iceland (Winter scene): Landsat Image Format Series, N6359W01723, Experimental Printing, 1:500,000-scale, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. Van Roessel, J. W., and de Godoy, R. C., 1974, SLAR mosaics for Project Photogramm. Eng., v. 40, no. 5, p. 583-595. RADAM: either lithium, per se, or physical surface properties associated with It is believed that continued research will accelerate its occurrence. exploration by providing guides to where brine tends to accumulate. Furthermore, it is believed that once mapping techniques are established they will be transferable to other remote desert basins of the world where similar evaporite deposits are present. PLANETARY STUDIES The Geological Survey's programs in Lunar and Planetary studies are expected to continue. The emphasis of the programs has successfully shifted from direct support of flight programs which characterized much of the activity during the Apollo era, towards data analysis and synthesis, and terrestrial applications. At the same time, the NASA flight programs have changed from spectacular planetary landings to equally spectacular, but more modest, rendevous encounters. During the next decade, almost the entire solar system will be explored. Two successful Viking missions to Mars in 1975, to which the GS contributed scientific and technical support, provided data that have led to new concepts of planetary tectonics, volcanism, and erosion by wind and water. In addition, new techniques and improvements in image processing and enhancement were developed as a consequence of mission requirements, and these are being used to process Landsat data of the Earth. Presently, two Mariner missions to Jupiter and Saturn are underway, and a Pioneer mission to Venus is being readied for launch this year. The GS is represented on the science teams of each of these missions. The GS provides advice on exploration of the solar system concerning the information which would optimize geologic understanding. This exploration is directed toward a comparison of geologic surface materials, processes, and history of the planets with Earth to provide insight on the development of the Earth's crust and on processes that affect land, mineral, and energy resources. |