Mapping the Buraburi granite in the Himalaya of Western Nepal: Remote sensing analysis in a collisional belt with vegetation cover and extreme variation of topography

The research started with raw image data pre-processing and continued with a comparison of satellite. field and laboratory data. The masking technique adopted to isolate rocky pixels was of fundamental importance to perform further analysis. An integration of density-sliced images and false colour composite images of Band Ratio, Relative Absorption Band Depth and Principal Component Analysis allowed us to generate a geological map that highlights a new granitoid body (Buraburi Granite) and the surrounding host rocks in the Dolpo region (western Nepal). The Buraburi Granite was mapped and sampled integrating remotely sensed ASTER data with analysis of rocks and minerals spectral signatures.

The aim of the present study is to define the most suitable methodologies for ASTER data pre-processing and analysis in order to enhance peraluminous granitoid rocks in rugged and vegetated areas.