An uncertainty-based method of photointerpretation

In the creation of forest type maps, photointerpreters first identify features that are the most certain, and subsequently identify features that are less certain in order to complete the map. In the present study, a method of photointerpretation is proposed in which only those features that an interpreter believes to be "100 percent certain" are identified. This results in interpretations that are not polygonal and that do not cover an entire photograph but that are instead treated using spatial interpolation to produce surfaces containing fuzzy membership values (FMVs) for all map classes at all locations in the area under study. These FMV surfaces can then be manipulated to produce thematic maps in which areas have a known certainty. The method is demonstrated using a synthetic image. It is concluded that maps resulting from this alternative method of photointerpretation are no more or less accurate than those produced from conventional polygon-based photointerpretation procedures. However, the alternative method provides considerable time savings and also provides an estimate of the certainty of each area on the final thematic map-something that the conventional photointerpretation method does not produce.