Application of airborne remote sensing to the surface sediment classification in a tidal flat

The relations of the channel distribution with the sedimentary facies were examined in Geunso-bay tidal flat, Korea. The tidal channel networks were extracted from a high spatial resolution aerial photograph, and for each sedimentary facies, the patterns of the channel distribution were compared in terms of the fractal analysis, channel density and distance from the channel. The channels in each sediment facies showed relatively constant meandering patterns, however, the density and the complexity were distinguishable. The tidal channels in the mud flat area represented complex and dendritic pattern with high density compared with those in the mixed or sand flat area. The results were applied to the adjustment of the sedimentary facies classification which has been generated from interpolation based on the field samples. We suggest that the feature of the channel networks should be applied to the surface sedimentary facies classification in the tidal flat.