The application of optimum partition method in extracting alteration information in taxkorgan region of the West Kunlun

The study area was located in the southwest of Xinjiang, Taxkorgan area of West Kunlun Mountain. The metallogenic geological background and the ETM image characteristics were studied by remote sensing technology. According to reflectance characteristics of ferrous alteration in different bands, mineral alteration information was extracted quantitatively. The results showed that the optimum partition method was an effective way to extract mineral alteration information. The curve of sum of deviations squares tended to slow when the ETM data was segmented to 6 parts. So the six parts segmentation method was the optimum partition in the area. The first three parts of the segmentation showed strongest distribution of the ferrous alteration. The alteration information distribution was little but concentrated.