Photographic Display of LANDSAT-1 CCT Images for Improved Geological Definition

LANDSAT-1 Bulk MSS Computer Compatible Tapes (CCT's) maintain the intrinsic radiometric and spatial qualities of the MSS (NASA, 1972) and as such are potentially superior to MSS 70 mm photographic products in the study of both regional and small scale geological trends. A convenient method of realizing this potential is via a digital-to-analog conversion of processed CCT data and CRT display to produce photographic hardcopy. This paper describes a flexible method of producing such displays that can be color composited with ground-based mapping data transformed to be compatible with the MSS geometric projection. Mapping accuracy of image detail to corresponding ground features was of the order of 50 to 160 meters rms over individual CCT areas. Two geological applications of CCT imagery are described and in each case the improved geological definition of CCT displays over that obtainable from NASA 70 mm transparencies is illustrated.