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Abstract
Output from remote sensing systems should be corrected and calibrated prior to use for scientific investigation. This research focuses on calculation of three fundamental biophysical variables, radiance, reflectance, and temperature, for both NOAA-AVHRR and LANDSAT-TM data. In addition, radiometric transformations such as emissivity, Apparent Thermal Inertia, and Normalized Difference are also examined. Each biophysical transformation is calculated using both standard and non-standard algorithms, and output from the permutations is then applied to an assessment of topographic and soils variability in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Results from the analysis, which was conducted within the context of a Geographic Information System, show a more linear relationship between calibrated image files and landscape themes than between raw, uncorrected image files and the same landscape themes. Finally, the conclusion is drawn that the generation of biophysical variables does, in fact, increase the information content of AVHRR data.
