. I . ... . .. . .. . .. . . -.: .'1' . :. j I Mosaic by U.S. Geological Survey GEORGIA AVIEW FROM SPACE An Atlas of Landsat-1 Imagery by William Z. Clark, Jr., Arnold C. Zisa, and Richard C. Jones STATE OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Joe D. Tanner, Commissioner THE GEOLOGIC AND WATER RESOURCES DIVISION Sam M . Pickering, Jr. , State Geologist and Division Director ATLANTA 1976 Mosaic by U.S. Geological Sui vey ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is impossible to acknowledge all of the individuals who have contributed directly or indirectly to this work. We are especially grateful, however, to the following individuals of the Georgia Geological Survey: Dr. Joseph B. Murray, Chief Geologist; David E. Lawton, Head Geologist, North Georgia Unit; the editor, Barbara A. Rassmann; and John 0. Costello for his illustrations. We also thank Edward E. Brock, a photographer with the Department of Natural Resources. The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance and support of various individuals and their respective agencies: from the Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, John l\1. DeNoyer, Director of the EROS Program; Gary W. North, Chief of the EROS Experiments and Evaluation Office; Henry T. Svehlak, Remote Sensing Advisor to the EROS Program; and John R. George, District Chief of the Water Resources Division, Southeastern Region. We would also like to thank the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and especially Edward J. Hecker, Earth Resources Project Manager at the Kennedy Spaceflight Center; Dr. Paul D. Lowman, Jr.; and Dr. Nicholas M. Short, Earth Survey Sciences Office, Goddard Spaceflight Center. In addition, we would like to acknowledge Christopher G. White, Chief of Planning Division, U.S. Army Engineers, South Atlantic Division. We thank all of these people and organizations for their contributions and support to our remote sensing program. INTERPRETATION MAP SYMBOLS State boundary Highways, interstate U.S. State @)---- 8---- ~--- Rivers and streams . . . . . . . . . . . . Water bodies Freshwater marsh Salt marsh Floodplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . Mines and quarries . . . . . . . . . . . . Cities and towns . . . . . . . . . . . . . Note: On all imagery and interpretations in this atlas, true north is approximately 10 left of vertical. CONTENTS Page Introduction . . .. ...... . . . .... .. .. . ... .. .. . . . . . .. .. .... . .... . .... . .... .... 1-2 Landsat-1 scenes .... . .. . .. .. .... . .. .. . .. . ... .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . ..... . ..... . .. ...2 Scene G-1 G-2 H-1 H-2 H-3 I-1 I-2 I-3 I-4 J-1 J-2 J-3 J-4 K-1 K-2 Geographic Narne Hilton Head Island North St. Johns River Lower Savannah River Altamaha River Okefenokee Swamp Hartwell Lake Lake Sinclair Lower Ocmulgee River Ap.alachee Bay Lake Sidney Lanier Central Chattahoochee River Walter F. George Reservoir Lake Seminole Guntersville Lake Coosa River NASA Identification Number 1261-15280-5 . .. ... . .. .. . .. ....3 1261-15280-7 ................. .4 1261-15283-5 ...... . ... . ..... . .5 1261-15283-7 ... . . . .... '".. . . . . .6 1568-15281-5 .... . .... . ... .....7 1568-15281-7 ... . .. .... . . . . . ...8 1568-15284-5 ........ . . . . .... ..9 1568-15284-7 ........ . . . .... ..10 1568-15290-5 ........ ... . .. . ..11 1568-15290-7 ......... .. . .. .. .12 1191-15381-5 .................13 1191-15381-7 .................14 1191-15384-5 .......... . ......15 1191-15384-7 ..... ... . . .......16 1191-15390-5 .. . .. . . . . ....... .17 1191-15390-7 .. . ... . ......... .18 1191-15393-5 . . ... . .... . ..... .19 1191-15393-7 . . . .... ......... .20 1858-15303-5 ......... . . .. ....21 1858-15303-7 ..... . .. .... . ... .22 1858-15312-5 ..... . . .. . .. ... . .23 1858-15312-7 . .. . . .... . . ..... .24 1858-15314-5 ....... ... . . . . . ..25 1858-15314-7 ....... .. . . . .... .26 1858-15321-5 ... . . . ... . . ... . . .27 1858-15321-7 . . ... . ...... . . .. .28 1175-15492-5 .. .. ... . .. . .. .. . .29 1175-15492-7 . . . .......... . .. .30 1175-15495-5 ..... ..... . .. . .. .31 1175-15495-7 . ..... . .. .... . . . :32 Glossary . . . .. . . ... . .. .... ... . . . . . . ... . .... . .. .. .... . . .. . . . . .. .. . . . ..... ...33 INTRODUCTION On July 23, 1972, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the first Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1), now known as Landsat-1. The design life was one year, but the satellite has exceeded all expectations for reliability, longevity, and image quality, and at the time of this writing the satellite continues to function well. The spacecraft was designed to produce repetitive, small-scale, multispectral imagery of the earth and to determine the feasibility of using automated satellites to monitor environmental conditions and inventory the earth's resources. Landsat-2 has since been successfully launched, but images from the new spacecraft have not been used in this atlas. Landsat-1 circles the earth every 103 minutes in a near polar orbit at an altitude of 920 kilometers (580 miles). As the satellite revolves about the earth, the planet rotates beneath it (Figs. 1 and 2). The result of these two motions enables the satellite to scan an advancing westward swath over the planet and to repeat its coverage of any given location every 18 days. The satellite must pass over Georgia five times in order to record the entire state. The orbital paths shift slightly with time; however, the approximate coverage is shown in Figure 3. For classification purposes, the Georgia Geological Survey has designated each orbit over the state by a letter: G, H, I, J, and K, from east to west. The northernmost frame of each orbit within the state is designated Figure 1 Figure 2 #1, the next frame south is #2, and so forth. This system is less complex than the comprehensive system used by NASA. Each of the 15 frames required to cover the state encompasses an area approximately 185 kilometers (115 miles) on a side, or 34,255 square kilometers (13,500 square miles). The spacecraft's earth observatory imagery system includes three return-beam vidicon cameras (RBV), which are not being operated, and four multispectral scanners (MSS). The MSS is an optical-mechanical sensing system which simultaneously detects light energy in four spectral bands; band 4, 500-600 nanometers (nm), the green portion of the spectrum; band 5, 600-700 nm, the red portion of the spectrum; band 6, 700-800 nm, the red and near-infrared portion of the spectrum; and band 7, 800-1100 nm, the near-infrared portion of the "spectrum. The MSS scans a swath of earth 185 kilometers (115 miles) wide across its orbital path. It senses increments of reflected energy intensity in each of the spectral bands and encodes this information which is transmitted to receiving stations on earth. The encoded messages from the satellite are stored on computer compatible tapes from which several display products can be produced. One form of display product available is the imagery presented in this atlas. Although an image closely resembles a photograph, it is not an actual photograph of the earth's surface as is the conventional aerial photo which is the product of a film camera. Instead, the image is a computer-derived pictorial 1 representation of an electronically scanned area. The scan lines (horizontal lines visible on the imagery) are evidence of this electronic detection. Copies of Landsat products may be obtained by the public at a modest cost from: EROS Data Center Data Management Center Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57198 . Some of the better Landsat-1 imagery of Georgia is displayed within this atlas. Each scene is represented by two different frames: the MSS bands 5 and 7 and their respective interpretations illustrating the most prominent features. From band 5 imagery, land use and cultural features may be distinguished as lines and patterns contrasting with the natural terrain. On these band 5 reproductions, surface mines, barren land, beaches, and highways appear white; urban areas, cleared land, and muddy water appear gray; and woodland, clear water, and landform shadows are black. Most physical features of the land are more apparent on band 7 imagery. On the band 7 images, open water and shadows appear black; swampy areas, and dense green vegetation are grey; and fresh excavations appear white. As there is some loss of resolution in the printing process, only prominent features and general trends are delineated. Not all features visible on the imagery have been interpreted here. --------- ----., _,)\. I Figure 3 2 G-1 MSS-5 10APR. 73 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers This scene shows a portion of Georgia's and South Carolina's Sea Islands. Past geologic processes acting in this area have had a substantial impact on present land use patterns. During the Pleistocene Epoch sea level fluctuated to levels both higher and lower than the present shoreline. Remnants of former beaches can be observed on the imagery as slightly curved, linear features, especially in the region northwest of Savannah. These beach ridges are distinguishable from the surrounding area by their differences in land use on band 5. The beach ridges are relatively well drained and are used for farming and transportation. The areas between the former beach ridges are swampy and covered with forest and thick brush. The infrared image, band 7, primarily distinguishes differences in moisture 3 rather than vegetation. Marshlands are dark, while drier sandy uplands appear lighter in tone. On band 5, the light gray plumes around the Sea Islands represent sediment suspended in the ocean. Rich in decomposed marsh grass and other nutrients, these sediment plumes may have a direct influence upon Georgia's fishing, shrimp, and shellfish industry. The sediment is principally derived from the marshlands and is washed out by tidal currents and storm waves. The small ponds adjacent to Interstate 95 are borrow pits from which sand and gravel were extracted for fill during the highway's construction. The ponds are best seen on band 7, whereas the highway is best seen on the band 5 image. G-1 MSS-7 10APR. 73 1 inch equals approximately 16 mile5 10 0 10 20 30 40 mi les ~~~~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 ki lometers 4 ~ titanium "' umines G-2 MSS-5 10APR. 73 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 ki lomelers The Sea Islands and their associated salt marsh extend from South Carolina to Florida. The entire Georgia coast is characterized by this marshland-island environment. Notice on band 7 that the salt marsh narrows in Florida, and on band 5 the sediment plumes are almost absent south of Little Talbot Island. This apparent association of sediment plumes and salt marsh suggests a marshland sedimentsource for the plumes. Pleistocene beach ridges are present west of Brunswick and east of Jacksonville. These ridges, like those near Savannah, are identifiable by land use patterns and differences in drainage characteristics. Present day beaches are quite prominent on the band 5 image as bright narrow strips adjacent to the coastline. Marshland and open water are best observed on the infrared band 7 imagery. 5 Note the small ponds distributed in a linear pattern along Interstate 95. These ponds are water-filled borrow pits. Under ideal circumstances ponds as small as 0.5 hectare (1.3 acres) may be seen on the imagery; however, under normal conditions the smallest distinguishable water body is likely to be about 1.6 hectares (4 acres). The Landsat imagery provides us with the first comprehensive view of Georgia's intricate salt marsh system. Through remote sensing techniques, it is now possible to map a consistent, generalized wetland boundary and observe patterns of plant distribution and vigor. Repetitive coverage at close intervals, as provided by Landsat, allows timely recognition of man 's encroachment on the marshlands, and hopefully, this will assist in the enforcement of the 1971 Georgia Marshland Law. ~; : ... < . . . .i ) (,, :r '-.' . . .. - --~- G-2 MSS-7 10APR. 73 1 inch eq uals appro x imately 16 m i les 10 0 10 20 30 40 mile 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometer> ..~. '' .. \ .~ ' . ~< ' t ... .- ..... ' -<6; . ~ ... . . ,. ~ - : . ~.!' ~ ,, .{,. . ..... . .~ .: 1 ' ' 6 The "H" orbit imagery is immediately west of the coastal orbit ("G" orbit). H-1 Because there is some north-south overlap of frames in the same orbit and some east-west overlap between orbits, some features from one orbit may be viewed . MSS-5 again in an adjacent orbit. This scene centers near the Atomic Energy Commission's Savannah River 11 FEB. 74 Nuclear Laboratory recognizable as a dark circular feature in the center. The area is dark because the government land is dominantly forested in contrast to the lighter tone of the surrounding agricultural land. The major rivers in this scene help to point out the differing nature of the 1 inch equals approx imotely 16 m i Ies 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~==~~~====~~~~===== rocks of the Piedmont and those of the Coastal Plain. As these rivers flow across the hard crystalline rocks of the Piedmont their courses are relatively straight and their floodplains extremely narrow. However, when they come into contact with 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers the less resistant sediments of the Coastal Plain they begin to meander in broad, forested floodplains. 7 Two interesting features within the Savannah River floodplain are the oxbow lakes and river terraces shown on the band 7 image. The oxbow lakes are former meanders in the river that have been cut off as the river straightened its course. The river terraces are sediment deposits parallel to the river's course that are the result of normal fluvial processes. Compare these terraces to the sand dunes in "H-2". A number of elliptical features, known as Carolina bays, may also be seen in this frame. They are shallow depressions usually filled with fine material and covered with water or swampy vegetation. They occur on the Coastal Plain from Texas to Maryland and number in the thousands. One popular theory explains the bays as a result of numerous meteorite-type impacts. The question of origin is still a matter of debate among scientists. H-1 MSS-7 11 FEB. 74 l inch equals opproKimately 16 m1les IOS::E<:la:::Ja:::J=cO=:.=:.=:==:=;;;;I.::0= = = =2:::EO=:==:==:=;=:=;=i;3[:0= ===40. mi le 10 0 10 20 30 40 SO kilomelers 8 H-2 MSS-5 11 FEB. 74 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~==~~======~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers Perhaps the most striking feature seen here is the coastal terrace scarp visible as the boundary of the dark forested area on the east side of the imagery. The coastal scarp marks the westward extent of the encroachment of the Pleistocene sea. The band 5 image shows a significant change in land use along this line. East of the escarpment, the area is generally underlain by fine-grained sand. This particular area is not well suited for farming and hence is used extensively for pulpwood and forest products. The more clayey sediments west of the scarp have lower infiltration rates which contribute to a well developed dendritic network of small streams. This Landsat image helps us to realize the scarp as a major physiographic, hydrologic, geologic, and land use boundary. 9 The Ogeechee River, south of Savannah, has a very prominent meander named Seven Mile Bend. This meander is in the process of_being cut off as the Ogeechee River straightens its course. After the meander is cut off it will become an oxbow lake similar to, but much larger than, those oxbow lakes shown along the Altamaha River. Several major rivers display light-colored parabolic features on their eastern banks. First recognized on Landsat imagery, they seem to be an unusual type of sand dune not previously described in Georgia. The extent of these dunes has yet to be mapped, and only typical ones along the Ohoopee and Canoochee Rivers are indicated here. H-2 MSS-7 11 FEB. 74 1 inch equals. approximately 16 mile~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilomelen Qo CaraHna bays 0 0 .0 0 10 .. Okefenokee Basin GEORGIA -~---- H-3 This frame includes most of the Okefenokee Basin District and the entire Okefenokee Swamp. The basin is covered with a mantle of medium- to . MSS-5 fine-grained sand underlain by relatively impermeable Pliocene and Miocene clay units. Most of the rainfall soaks into the sand and, unable to penetrate the clay 11 FEB. 74 strata, travels down dip and reappears as springs within the swamp. The Okefenokee Swamp is thought to have been formed when a marine bay was cut off from the ocean by the development of a longshore barrier island, the present Trail Ridge visible on the band 7 image. As sea level dropped, this ridge acted as a 1 inch equals approximately \6 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 mile dam, trapping remnant salt water and impounding the east-flowing drainage. The salt water was soon drained by the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers and replaced 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilomele" by run off and fresh ground water from the Okefenokee Basin. Using satellite 11 imagery, water circulation patterns and gross morphology of the swamp may be studied on a repetitive basis for the first time. Northeast of Folkston was a large titanium and rare earth metals mine. The larger gray area is land reclaimed under the provision of the Georgia Surface Mining Act of 1968. Note that comparable mining operations in Florida, such as the phosphate mine southeast of Jasper and the titanium mines east of Starke, where reclamation was not required to meet the same standards as Georgia's, show no signs of such reclamation. The water-filled limesinks of central Florida, oriented north-south, trend along the axis of the Peninsular Arch. This trend marks the area where limestones have been brought near the surface by regional arching. H-3 MSS-7 11 FEB. 74 1 inch equ a l'> app roxima te ly 16 mile'> 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~========~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers Okefenokee Basin ~-.... . ~ .. GEORGIA '.. .,; ; .!~ . . 12 . . . ~. ...... ..: .':....,. . - -- - ---- ~ ---. ..... --- ... .... -~ SOU i u n CAROLINA GREENVILLE 1-1 MSS-5 30JAN.73 l inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~======~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilom~ters This winter imagery illustrates the contrast of light-toned agricultural areas of the Piedmont with the darker, forested Blue Ridge Mountains. Higher areas of the Blue Ridge are covered with snow. The sheared rock of the Brevard Fault Zone has been eroded into long, low, linear ridges and valleys, which are discernible by their shadows from the low sun angle of winter. These structural lineaments are best viewed on the band 7 image. The Brevard Fault Zone extends from North Carolina to Alabama where the onlap of Coastal Plain sediments obscures the structure. North of the Brevard another series of lineaments strike east-northeastwards, then turn abruptly to join the northeast trending Brevard Zone. The northernmost of these lineaments, more prominent than suggested by previous detailed mapping, is the Warwoman Shear. 13 The Savannah River provides an interesting example of man's activity on the landscape. The construction of dams near Augusta and Hartwell has changed the Savannah River into an almost continuous lake from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Clark Hill Dam. Small farm ponds, so prevalent on the Coastal Plain, are not as plentiful within the Piedmont and are almost absent in the highland areas. Compare this frame to I-3. 1-1 MSS-7 30JAN. 73 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 mi les ~~~~~~====~~====~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 ki lomelers snow -- _ - - ... NO~i\-1 . -- c~ROLI~~ ... ..... ---- 14 cropland -- 1-2 . MSS-5 30JAN. 73 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 ki l ometers This frame exhibits the marked differences in land use patterns that exist in the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. On the band 5 image the area north of the Fall Line appears dark as it is predominantly pine forest. The Coastal Plain, on the other hand, has a lighter tone because it is mainly land cleared for agriculture. The Fall Line cities, Macon and Augusta, are located where early settlers and traders first encountered shoals, rapids or waterfalls which impeded further transportation upstream. The numerous bright white areas just south of the Fall Line represent Georgia's kaolin mining district. Kaolin was first recognized in the area in 1741 and mined briefly. In 1900 active mining began again, and today, Georgia produces over 150 million dollars worth of this industrial clay each year. 15 The rivers of the Coastal Plain are characterized by wide, swampy floodplains seen on the band 5 image as dark, forested networks appearing to terminate near the Fall Line. Although floodplains of the major rivers and streams exist north of the Fall Line, they are too narrow to be seen at such a small scale. The band 7 image shows a series of lineaments that run northeast-southwest across the frame. These lineaments mark the Towaliga and Goat Rock Fault systems and can be traced from Pine Mountain, Georgia, toward South Carolina. 1-2 MSS-7 30JAN.73 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~======~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers 16 1-3 MSS-5 30JAN.73 l inch equa ls a ppr oxi mate ly 16 mi l es 10 0 10 20 30 40 mile ~~~~~======~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 k il ome 1ers Cultivated land, the predominant land use in the area, is observable on band 5 as light patches. Very little surface stream drainage is visible on the Dougherty Plain. The band 7 image shows numerous water-filled limesinks which drain surface water directly into the subsurface limestone aquifer. On the other hand, a well developed dendritic drainage pattern is found on the Tifton Upland where the limestone is overlain by clays which have low infiltration rates. East of the Alapaha River, the forested area of the Okefenokee Basin has a much darker tone. The band 7 image indicates the presence of many small ponds and lakes throughout the entire scene. The Pelham Escarpment, which marks the boundary between the Dougherty Plain and the Tifton Upland, also separates the generally natural water bodies from the man-made ones. With the exception of Lake 17 Blackshear, most water bodies west of the escarpment are natural limesinks formed by the solution of limestones underlying the Dougherty Plain. To the east of the escarpment, the surprising abundance of water bodies are mainly man-made farm ponds. Adjacent to the Alapaha River is a heavy concentration of Carolina bays. The Alapaha Carolina bay field contains some of the larger Carolina bays in Georgia, the largest being approximately 6.4 kilometers (3.8 miles) in diameter. 1-3 MSS-7 30JAN.73 l inch equals approximately 16 m1les 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~==~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers .. .-\ . .. ~..:I ,. :..'.>:.:...~:.:..:.::..~.... ..:;.. I ,\ .. .. ' ~ ~ .. I : : oO I : . I ,: . t 0 ' . ..i : .' .. ' - (. ~.:' . ' ~: .... . ' \ I "' .. ~ ~ 0 ' ... '. ,. p .. '0 ;o~;. . I . ~ ~\ . ,. ...J -~. . ,., 0 ;; 18 .. . .; ..... , ~ .. . 0 1-4 MSS-5 30JAN. 73 l inch equals opproximot~ly 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 mil es ~====~~~==========~====~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers A contrast in land use patterns exists in the area near the Georgia-Florida border. The area north of I-10 is predominantly cleared cropland while the area to the south is mainly pine forest. Again, the contrasts in land use and surface drainage are apparent between the Dougherty Plain and the Tifton Upland. In Florida, near the point where U.S. 129 crosses the Suwannee River, nine white circles are arranged in a nearly rectangular manner. This pattern represents crops which are being irrigated by large, upright sprinklers that rotate a full 360 degrees thus creating the circular shapes observable on the band 5 image. The area in Florida marked by closely spaced northwest trending limesinks is of considerable hydrologic and geologic interest. This trend marks the area where limestone has been brought near the surface by subsurface regional arching. 19 The Alapaha River, a relatively small stream which has almost no flow during the dry season, appears to have a very wide floodplain. It is unlikely that a small stream would have such a large floodplain. It has been suggested that the Ocmulgee River, which sharply alters its southeastern course to almost due east (see I-3) may at one time have flowed south through this channel creating the wide Alapaha floodplain. 1-4 MSS-7 30JAN. 73 1 1nch equals approx1molely 16 mile~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 mde~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers GEORGIA ;:A ~r:.--~----- { ~ '. . ~.;::, ---& ....-. ' .. -. ..' .. ... . . ::.~' , ... ~~ , ::'": ,, r ....~ .; . j . ... ,I '; 20 __ I / - ..... .-' ,...,/ ~ontoho la ~ ~Lok o --- ---- --- ---- _____ _,..... --- Chattahoochee National Forest ELLIJAY ~ DAHLONE GA 't> DAWSONVILLE {) JASPER ( f .~- Marble Mining District TATEII\l(:, -<:::, '' <, JEFFE RSON p ATHENS ~ ;.). '. LAWRENCEVILLE ~ \ FOt l YC!QO Stale Pcirk MONROE Q J-1 MSS-5 28 NOV. 74 l inch equa ls a pproximate ly 16 mi l es 10 0 10 20 30 40 m i les 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilomelers The southern extension of the Great Smoky-Cartersville Fault-line Escarpment cuts across the western edge of this scene separating sedimentary rocks of the Ridge and Valley Province from metamorphic and igneous crystalline rocks of the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge Provinces. The sedimentary rocks west of this escarpment are less resistant to erosion than the crystalline rocks to the east, and therefore form the broad, fertile Great Valley. In addition, the escarpment serves as a divider between the cultivated Great Valley and the thickly forested Blue Ridge Mountains (band 5 image). In the vicinity of 'Cartersville the escarpment is not apparent. Between the Cohutta Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains are a series of narrow, parallel, linear ridges called the Jasper Ridges, best seen on the band 7 21 image. Just southwest of the town of Jasper, a lighter tone, horseshoe-shaped area is visible on both the band 5 and band 7 images. This pattern, a surface expression of the Salem Church Anticline, is an area of favorable topography for clearing and cultivation because the rocks are less resistant to weathering and erosion. A very small, hook-shaped, light grey pattern, just to the east of Tate is most of Georgia's marble mining district. In the northwestern portion of the band 5 image, a prominent white spot represents the Ducktown-Copperhill mining district of Tennessee. Here, smelter fumes and tim bering had killed the vegetation and left an area of barren land. Reclamation has been slow, but the light gray zone around the white spot represents a large area of already reclaimed land. / .r . /O ..,'f :, ' . :"'i r ~: r,,-.. .':.I,;, I I - . . , 't' ( I r ., . .. r I ; '' .. I J-1 MSS-7 28NOV. 74 1 rnc h eq ual~ app ro x rrnolely 16 rnde <. 10 0 10 20 30 40 mole> ~==~~~~====~~~==~ 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kliomelers --- -------- ,,-......____./ San'"tHt~?. / I / J Jl:oMaholo r 1J}.LakO 1 I ~------------ ----------- --; ~-- C~~QIJ.!'I-A-. - _ ... ... / "oR-i.\/:l --- Choluge Lake { II / I I I I / / 22 J-2 MSS-5 28 NOV.74 l 1nch equals approximately 16 m1les 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers ~ARTOWN \ ' ' \ BOWDEN '.13 CARROLLTON ~ I ' I ' ' \ I G> ?~-'.\(I~} 1~7\'107. ' ' I ROAN~ ' I I ' I cleared land and woodland iS MASTON / / / TALBOTTON \. ' / I ... / I / p\ed.11\on!,. / _.....-.coo-s'a1-p\o\n ._ BUTLER The Brevard Fault Zone and a mafic, intrusive feature known as Soapstone Ridge are two geologic factors influencing development in the Atlanta area. In southwest Atlanta, the Fulton County Industrial Park is developing along the strike of the Brevard Fault Zone. The highly sheared and weathered rocks of the fault zone along with the floodplain material of the Chattahoochee River are more practical for industrial site development than the adjacent areas of higher slope and near surface bedrock. Soapstone Ridge is seen on this image as a dark, wooded area crossed by I-285 between I-20 East and Hartsfield Airport. The mafic rock of the ridge weathers to a boulder-strewn soil with high slopes and poor engineering characteristics for 23 construction. Hence, Atlanta's growth has avoided this feature leaving much of the ridge in woodland. Notice that the Chattahoochee River flows southwest along the strike of the Brevard Fault Zone and then departs from this structure to flow south, forming the western boundary of Georgia. The Pine Mountain-Oak Mountain complex is visible on the band 7 image as a series of light-colored ridges striking to the east-northeast. These ridges are composed of quartzite, a rock which is usually very resistant to erosion. Thunder Dome, the nearly circular feature northeast of Pine Mountain, is a structural dome with a quartzite rim. J-2 MSS-7 28NOV.74 1 inch e-quol~ opproximot~ly 16 mde-~ 10~==~ 0 ~~=10=====20~~~3=0 ====40 mil"' 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers I ~r\, o~ .,... ~~\?!~ ~.-v \ ' \ \ \ I \ I \ Loko Carroll Stont Mountoini).Ston~~:Untaln Loko Spivey -"!1 - 24 \ - / ~at /. Rock Lake ~2 ;7 -- cleared land BUENA. VISTA. 'i::t and TUSKEGEE woodland . 0 woo d l a n d RICHLAND~ ~U/dPK IN J-3 MSS-5 28 NOV. 74 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers cleared land and woodland The Fall Line Hills is an area of highly dissected topography that lies immediately south of the Fall Line and is continuous across the state of Georgia. The rather steep slopes of this physiographic region are generally heavily wooded. The Dougherty Plain is an area of low relief where floodplains frequently merge with nearby limesinks making floodplain demarcation especially difficult. The extent of these water-filled limesinks is observable in the southeast portion of the band 7 image. The Dougherty Plain is a region of karst topography that 25 extends from northwest Florida and southeast Alabama into southwest Georgia. Subterranean drainage generally dominates in areas of karst topography with very few surface streams present. Compared to the Fall Line Hills, there are fewer surface streams in the Dougherty Plain. J-3 MSS-7 28 NOV. 74 l inch e-quals o ppro:Jtimote ly 16 m.Je-s 10 0 10 20 JO 40 mil"' ~~~~~======~~~===== 10 0 10 20 JO 40 50 ki lo mel e n 26 ---- ....... ------ cleared land and woodland cleared land Apalachicola Forest J-4 MSS-5 28 NOV.74 1 inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers This frame includes the extreme southwest corner of Georgia. Lake Seminole is fed by the Chattahoochee and Flint River systems. On the band 5 image notice the east side of Lake Seminole, fed by the Flint River. It has much clearer water than the west side which is fed by the sediment-laden Chattahoochee River. The Flint River drains the limestone terrain of the Dougherty Plain, an area of abundant clear springs and little surface erosion, hence, the noticeable lack of suspended sediment. Similar differences in sediment load may be seen between the open ocean and lagoons along the Gulf of Mexico. Impoundment of Lake Seminole has raised the local water table in the near surface aquifer. The now higher water table has filled previously dry limesinks throughout a 13 kilometer (8 mile) radius of the dam, creating numerous ponds or swamps. 27 On the band 5 image notice the widening of the Apalachicola River floodplain as it continues southward to the Gulf and compare the Florida coastline with Georgia's (G-1 and G-2). There are few sediment plumes 'in this portion of the Gulf Coast, because any sediment derived from the few estuary systems is trapped and settles in the shallow bays behind the bars and barrier islands typical of this shoreline. Bordering the Gulf Coast are a series of white dots or line segments that represent the dredge spoils for the Intracoastal Waterway. This series of canals and rivers is a discontinuous waterway system along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts designed to protect small vessels from hazards of the open sea. .. .. { '< , .. ~ ..... . , ., (. r . . ' -. .;J.\/ /'- ., ., . . .... ' ' . ( r'... I , J-4 MSS-7 28 NOV. 74 1 tnch equal\ opprox1motely 16 mLie~ 10 0 10 10 30 40 moles ~~~~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 10 30 40 50 kilome-te-rs --- .. .. -. :- . ... : . ... . -~ ..... . ..,.: .: . : . ~ ~ I limesink oreo 't.' f p.L.P.e~"!;':- - - - - ' - -~~ - _.:.- --rLOR'o~>- --. . , -~,;.----.- '. .. .. . ;... . ~ .. . . -...--. i". : .~.;......... . limesink area ! .. .:c;?i~;~/;~.> .. . ...;!:'~-.. ' , ,._ GEoRG~----------- ----------- --r"LoRior.. 28 I ... , snow snow -( / I I ( I snow \_) snow I I J . ' ~ .... / :/ z \~ I \~ Hil'l'lnee :o Rewrv011r iC \.. \l'>~ Ducktown-Copperhill,-, \ z Mmlng Olstriail "" / ~ - , .....~. -"7-..- ---_ ___ __ eyMCCAYSVILLE ,.~!!~~tf~E-. ---- -- - --- - - jl,\..11.8.. . - .. - - - - - b I v"' LA JiJTTE ~ \ ''\ \ \ llsuMMERVILLE ""o;\% ? ;;~! (p\c;> ~V? Y\ \ \ ' ' \ ' \ \ \ \ ' \ I I \ ' ' \ ( I _... \, snow ' JAS~PR " CANTON " .. K-1 The Great Smoky-Cartersville Fault, at the base of a prominent escarpment, forms the eastern boundary between sedimentary and crystalline rocks. The MSS-5 northern strike of the fault line escarpment appears to end near Cartersville. lt then strikes southwestward to form the southern boundary of the sedimentary 14JAN. 73 rocks. The band 5 image displays the influence of topography on land use patterns. The Ridge and Valley is predominantly agricultural in contrast to the more forested areas of the Cumberland Plateau, Piedmont, and Blue Ridge. Throughout the Ridge and Valley, sandstone and chert ridges remain naturally inch equals approximately 16 miles forested areas, while farms and pasture lands are located in the fertile limestone 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~~~~~======~~======= 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers and shale valleys. The transmission rights-of-way from the Bowen Power Plant are clearly visible on band 5. Carters Dam, under construction on the date this 29 imagery was taken, had already impounded a small amount of water. The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the forested Civil War battlefield, is distinguishable on band 5 from the surrounding agricultural land. The band 7 image best shows the chevron pattern of the Armuchee Ridges. Silurian sandstones are the resistant units holding up these ridges. Lookout and Pigeon Mountains are synclinal structures capped with Pennsylvanian sandstone units. On Lookout Mountain, the band 7 imagery reveals a series of dark lineaments trending normal to the synclinal axis. These features are joints or cross-faults which may be a source of ground water for this rapidly developing area. The white band across the top of the frame is light snow, which masks, but does not hide, the denuded Copperhill area. ... _, ,. 'I--'" -~ .~ , ~- ,..*! .Ff;r , . ,..,_: I '" '~l ~. K-1 MSS-7 14JAN. 73 l inch equals approximately 16 m1les 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers ~... ,.. /.' , ,.)"'; ,; ... . t t . ", .. - 1~ ' .z ,... ;, J I .. ~ ,.-!<"<' ..Jtf? . " / <~ " . . , . !?(~. I - Pt,:- ( -1, "- il 1>1: { .~ 0 30 K-2 MSS-5 14JAN. 73 l inch equals approximately 16 miles 10 0 10 20 30 40 miles ~==~~~~====~~~===== 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 kilometers BUCHANAN ~ \ \ \ TALLAPOOSA \ CJ t\1 BREMEN AUSTELL~ LITHIA SPRINGSq DOUGLASVILLEJ"J' VILLA RICA D ~ TEMPLE