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Decision Tree Classifier A decision tree is a multi stage classifier that is composed of a series of binary decisions that are used to predict the class for each pixel. Decision trees are similar to binary keys that you typically use in taxonomy. Download and unzip the file ENVI_decision_tree .exe winzipped file from the data folder: http://nrm.salrm.uaf.edu/~dverbyla/nrm641/labs/data In this lab, you will classify an area of Minto Flats using rasters derived from a Landsat ETM+ July scene using the following decisions: Cold Temperature? Yes, Cloud Pixels No, Non Cloud Pixel High NDVI? Yes, Vegetated Pixels No, Non-vegetated pixels Low Band5? Yes, Water Pixels No, Non-water pixels

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You will first determine these threshold values and fill in the following table: Decision No Threshold Yes Value Cold Temperature? Cloud Non-Cloud High NDVI? Low Band5 Reflectance? Veg Water Non-Veg Soil/Rock

First display the bands543 in RGB and link that display with a gray scaled display of your thermal band (degrees C). Notice that the pixel size of the thermal band is larger than the reflective bands

So resample your thermal_C to match your reflective bands. From the Basic Tools menu, select Resize Data

Display your 30-meter Thermal raster (degrees C) and link that display with your RGB display. Then determine an appropriate temperature to separate cloud pixels from non-cloud pixels.

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Next display your NDVI raster as a grayscale and determine an appropriate threshold to separate vegetated versus non vegetated pixels.

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Try applying a density slice once you decide on a threshold NDVI value.

Finally, determine a band5 threshold to separate low NDVI pixels into water and non-water pixels. After you have decided on your appropriate thresholds, you can build your Decision Tree model using these thresholds. You should have all the rasters you need for your decision tree in your Available Bands list:

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In building your decision tree, you will enter expressions in the form of b1 GT ___, b2 LT ____, b3 GE ___, etc and map each b variable to the appropriate raster from your list above. From the ENVI main menu bar, select Classification Decision Tree Build New Decision Tree Click on your first tree node, and you then can enter the expression for this decision:

for example if we decided the cloud temperature threshold was 15 degrees C.in this case I use the variable b6 because Landsat ETM+ band 6 is the source band for the raster we will use.

Next assign the raster to your b6 variable

And rename the elements and color assignment after your decision to Cloud, Non-Cloud

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Next we want a question for all the non-cloud pixels. So right mouse click on that element and add a child question.

Rename the elements as Vegetated, NonVegetated and add your NDVI question.

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Finally, for the non-cloud, no-vegetated pixels, add a question using the band5 reflectance to classify water versus nowater pixels.

Save your Decision Tree model

And then use your Decision Tree model to classify every pixel in the study area.

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Compare your rgb image with your classification. In this example, the classification was pretty good, except the Tanana River was misclassified as cloud since turbid water was cold.

The process is iterative, and you might go back to modify the sequence of your questions or add more rules in refining your model.

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