The use of satellite images for the identification of salinized soils in braila county

The high salt content in the soil raises special problems regarding the use of soils affected by salinity and alkalinity. In Romania, there is an area of approximately 614,000 ha of land where salinization-alkalization processes occur, causing a low fertility of these soils and at high concentrations, these soils cannot be used for agricultural production. In order to identify the areas occupied by these soils, research was carried out based on satellite images in three localities in Braila county: Maxineni, Racovita and Tudor, where laboratory determinations such as: soil reaction, content in chlorides, sulfates, magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium. With the help of remote sensing and satellite images, maps were made regarding the salinity index (SI), Bare Soil index (BSI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Tasseled Cap Transformation Wetness (TCW). Our study demonstrated the ability of remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems to survey, monitor, identify, analyze and classify land degradation manifestations and to detect spatial and temporal variables occurring in the study area. The digital indicators (INDEX) contributed to highlighting the terrain characteristics very effectively helping in clarifying the spatial distribution picture and the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the types of soil degradation manifestations in the studied area.