Retrieval of soil physicochemical properties towards assessing salt-affected soils using Hyperspectral Data

The relationship between soil salinity parameters and their influence on soil spectral characteristics were analyzed using both satellite data (Hyperion) and reflectance data of soil samples collected from parts of Ahmedabad district of Gujarat, India. The soil spectral reflectance curves were assessed using absorption feature parameters by DISPEC software to identify suitable spectral band for salinity characterization. The Hyperion data of the study area were processed and classified into different classes by spectral angle mapper algorithm using spectral library generated from soil spectra. The results showed that among all the observed soil parameters Electrical Conductivity, Exchangeable Sodium Percentage, Cation Exchange Capacity and Mg⁺⁺ predictions can be made accurately based on partial least square regression models developed from selected wavelengths. Out of the total study area moderately saline-sodic, severely saline-sodic, severely saline and slightly saline soils occupy 23.5, 12.6, 10.9 and 0.04%, respectively.