Evaluation and predictability of water erosion based on spectral information analysis

The recent advances of hyperspectral remote sensing systems lead to a vastly improved ability to classify land-cover classes that are very similar in their spectral properties. In addition, Hyperspectral Imaging has cleared the path for a wide range of applications in the field of geology for the regional mapping of rock types and mineral prospecting. The erosion process that begins with changes in surface states causes structural degradation, manifested by the increase of the fine fraction of the surface and installation of film and slaking crusts. This structural degradation increases flow, stripping and erosion of surface horizons, thereby changing physico-chemical and organic soils and deposits. In the study area (watershed of Oued El Fard in the South West of Tunisia), an uncontrolled exploitation of land led to widespread development process gully erosion that led to the formation of Badlands. This study aims to propose a method, based on hyperspectral imaging and spectroscopy and new developments in hyperspectral remote sensing for spectral characterization of surface soil eroded to formally assess the extent, distribution and intensity of this phenomenon.