LARS Tech Report Number

060980

Abstract

A digital soils data base was established for inclusion of soil reflectance data in addition to pertinent soil physical, chemical, engineering data and site information. This soils data base is being used by researchers to study the relationships between the reflectance and physical, chemical, engineering and site characteristics of soil upon which remote sensing technology for soil and crop survey is based. Information stored in the data base carries connotations for soil taxonomic classification as well as detailed descriptions of site characteristics such as climate, drainage, slope, erosion phase, topography, and parent material. Laboratory analyses can be entered into the data base for organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, texture, and many others. Engineering variables as well as engineering classification of soils can also be entered. The spectral data for each soil measured can be in the form of continuous scan spectroradiometer data or multiband radiometer data.

The initial data included in the data base are physical, chemical, engineering, and site information for 500 soil samples from 39 states of the United States, as well as Brazil, Costa Rica, Sudan, Spain, and Jordon. The LARSPEC software package is available for researchers using the Purdue/LARS computer facility to access the information on the soils data base. The information on the data base is also available to researchers who do not have access to the Purdue/LARS computer facility.

Date of this Version

January 1980

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