Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Hamid Malmirian (Translator)

Abstract

Different land characteristics are important for soil scientists, geologists, geographers, civil engineers, urban and regional planners, architects, urban land developers and others who are interested in assessing land suitability for different applications.
Since land conditions and features significantly affect land suitability to help grow different types of plant species, understanding aerial photo interpretation is of importance for land evaluation as well as for botanists, forestologists, specialists and others who are involved in the preparation of vegetation maps and assessments.
The main characteristics of land features that can be estimated by aerial photo interpretation are a variety of rocky substrates, landforms, soil texture, site’s drainage conditions, flood harnessing capability and depth of fluid (non-firm) materials on rocky substrates.
In addition, the slope of the land’s surface can be estimated by interpreting aerial photos and measurement using photogrammetric methods.
In the following chapter, we will examine land characteristics and identification of the most common types of bedrocks and remaining sedimentary as well as displaced soils and organic soils through aerial photos. The aerial photo interpretation process described here highlights the terrain features that are visible on stereo aerial photographs.