U.S. Geological Survey

Normalized Ternary Radioelement Map


CAPTION: This map is a normalized three-element display of equivalent uranium (ppm), equivalent thorium (ppm), and potassium (%). Normalized uranium is displayed in red hues, normalized thorium in green, and normalized potassium in blue. The three elements are normalized as follows (Broome and others, 1987): eUn = eU/sum, eThn = (eTh/4)/sum, Kn = K/sum, where, sum = eU + eTh/4 + K. Different ratios of the three elements are displayed as different RGB color combinations. Because of the normalization, the image is mostly saturated colors (i.e., no white or dark gray areas as in the unnormalized map). Each color band is nonlineraly quantized using a histogram stretch to ensure a relatively uniform distribution of levels and to enhance low-contrast areas. One result of enhancing the data with this transform is that the subtle data shifts between individual aeroradiometric surveys are now highlighted in the data set. Care must be taken in the interpretation of patterns on this image to avoid assigning geological significance to these survey boundaries (see Survey Info Page for these boundaries).


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