The cartographic application of ERTS/RBV imagery in polar regions

The author has identified the following significant results. Results of the SR-149 experiments demonstrated the feasibility of revising coastlines on maps of Antarctica, detected gross changes in the northern limits of the three largest ice shelves in the world, and led to the discovery of unmapped geographical features in Antarctica. Analyses of MSS imagery during the investigations show positive identification and obvious changes in size, shape, and position of such features as glaciers, ice tongues, ice shelves, and fast ice when compared to the existing USGS 1:250,000 scale maps. Investigations also pointed out that accurate and meaningful photoimage mosaics can be compiled at scales of 1:500,000 and 1:1,000,000 over the Polar Regions. With respect to the Antarctic region, many thousands of square miles can be image mapped for the very first time if cloud-free imagery becomes available and at a great reduction in cost of compilation. The international scientific community will benefit from such timely products. Current maps are a necessity for proper planning for field operations, especially over the treacherous terrain of the Antarctic