THE USE OF SPOT IMAGERY IN THE STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES OF THE OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

Computer-processed multispectral SPOT satellite images covering part o f the Okavango Delta provide an extremely useful tool for studying thi s large, remote wetland. In particular, a transformed vegetation index (TVI) was found to be semi-quanitatively related to standing crop. Ve getation standing crop is, in turn, related to resource availability a nd, hence, indirectly to local hydrological regime. The TVI images the refore provide a synoptic view of water dispersal in the Delta. Carefu l examination of the images further reveals the widespread development of lineaments, presumably of tectonic origin. The TVI images are idea l for studying such lineaments.