Mapping geological features of the Jharia coalfield from Landsat-5 TM data

Abstract

False Colour Composite 754, the principal component imagery and edge enhanced imagery of Landsat-5 TM data have been found useful in delineating the regional geological features, viz, the curvilinear coal bands and sandstone ridges, faults, fractures and dolerite dykes of the Jharia Coalfield of Bihar, India, covering an area of about 480 km², where many parts are inaccessible to direct field mapping due to extensive opencast mining operations. The features, their occurrences and spatial dispositions, as deciphered from satellite data, are found to match significantly well with selective field maps.