A visual interpretation of a Landsat mosaic of the Okavango delta and surrounding area

The delta of the African river is investigated with Landsat images to collect data on the aquatic and terrestrial environments and study the faulting and warping of the earth's crust. Four-color Landsat images covering 84,672 sq km are presented with reference to geological maps and aerial photographs employed for visual interpretation. The 1:1 million maps are analyzed by means of smaller-scale maps with descriptive texts of surface drainage, terrain types, and land use. Distinctions are made between perennial and seasonal swamps, between 7 types of terrain, and 5 types of land use. The Landsat images are found to be useful for locating the limits of perennial swamp, areas of sand dunes, and deposits of lacustrine. The results are of interest to the large-scale mapping of areas with diverse changing aquatic /terrestrial environments. (C.C.S.)