Data and Study Area

The MOD 09 Surface Reflectance 8-day (19-26^th Dec 02) L3G product at 250 m (band 1 and 2) and bands 3 to 7 at 500 m spatial resolution (http://edcimswww.cr.usgs.gov/pub/imswelcome/), and MOD 02 Level-1B Calibrated Geolocation (georeferenced) data at 1 km (bands 1 to 36, acquired on 21^st Dec 02 described at http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/) were used. They are atmospherically and radiometrically corrected, fully calibrated and geolocated radiances at-aperture for all spectral bands and are processed to Level 3G (http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/dataproducts.php?MOD_ NUMBER =09) and Level 1B (http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/MODIS/Aqua/ product_descriptions_modis.s html#rad_geo) respectively. IRS (Indian Remote Sensing Satellite) LISS (Linear Imaging Self Scanner)-III MSS data in Green, Red and NIR bands with a spatial resolution of 23.5 m (acquired on 22^nd and 25^th Dec 02) were purchased from National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, India.

The Kolar district in Karnataka State, India, extending over an area of 8,238 km² between 77°21’ to 78°21 E and 12°46’ to 13°58’ N, was chosen for this study. Kolar (figure 1) is divided into 11 sub-regions for administration purposes (Ramachandra and Rao, 2005). The study area is mainly dominated by 6 broad LC classes: agricultural land, built up, forest, plantations, waste land and water bodies. There are a few other LC classes (barren/rock/stone/others) that have very limited ground area proportions and are unevenly scattered among the major six classes, and were grouped under the waste land category.

Fig. 1 Study area – Kolar district, Karnataka State, India