Organic matter mapping using remotely sensed images

1. A computer-implemented method for mapping relative changes in organic matter in an agricultural field, comprising:

mapping relative changes in organic matter within soil in an agricultural field utilizing at least two individual bands from one or more remotely sensed images of the agricultural field using a processor unit, each of the two individual bands associated with a light spectrum wavelength range, wherein each of the at least two bands is weighted based on a contribution each band provides to predict the relative changes in organic matter;

using the processor unit to separate the mapped relative changes in organic matter according to geographic zones, each zone defined by weighting pixels of the one or more remotely sensed images according to the predicted organic matter falling within a predefined range of change, and each zone comprising a different range of relative organic matter with respect to an adjacent zone, wherein zone boundaries are defined where a value of the weighted pixels reaches a predefined threshold; and

using the processor unit to recommend a nutrient supplement for each zone based on the range of organic matter associated with each of the mapped zones; and

storing the map of the zones of the agricultural field and the recommendation of the nutrient supplement for each zone in a memory unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the processor unit to retrieve soil test data for the agricultural field and to determine an average amount of organic matter within one or more of the zones.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remotely sensed images of the agricultural field are satellite images of bare soil.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the individual bands is associated with a light spectrum wavelength range in the infrared region.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined range of change used to define one or more of the zones is between a 1 percent to 3 percent range of change in predicted organic matter.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from two different remotely sensed images of the agricultural field.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from the same light spectrum wavelength range.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from different light spectrum wavelength ranges.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein weighted elevation data for the agricultural field is used to map the predicted relative changes in organic matter.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a map of the relative changes in organic matter within the agricultural field according to zones generated by the processor unit using a display device.

11. A computer-implemented system for mapping relative organic matter in an agricultural field, comprising:

a processor unit programmed to:

map relative changes in organic matter within soil in an agricultural field utilizing at least two individual bands from one or more remotely sensed images of the agricultural field, the remotely sensed images stored in a memory unit coupled to the processor unit, wherein each of the two individual bands are associated with a light spectrum wavelength range, and wherein each of the at least two bands is weighted based on a contribution each band provides to predict the relative changes in organic matter in the soil;

separate the mapped relative changes in organic matter according to geographic zones, each zone defined by weighting pixels of the one or more remotely sensed images according to the predicted organic matter content falling within a predefined range of change, and each zone comprising a different relative organic matter with respect to an adjacent zone wherein zone boundaries are defined where a value of the weighted pixels reaches a predefined threshold; and

recommend a nutrient supplement for each zone based on the relative organic matter content associated with each of the zones; and

a memory unit for storing the map of the zones of the agricultural field and the recommendation of the organic matter supplement for each zone.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor unit is further programmed to retrieve soil test data for the agricultural field and to determine an amount of organic matter within one or more of the zones.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remotely sensed images of the agricultural field are satellite images of bare soil.

14. The System of claim 11 , Wherein at Least One of the Individual Bands is associated with a light spectrum wavelength range in the infrared region.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the predefined range of change used to define one or more of the zones is between a 1 percent to 3 percent range of change in predicted organic matter.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from two different remotely sensed images of the agricultural field.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from the same light spectrum wavelength range.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein two of the at least two individual bands are from different light spectrum wavelength ranges.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein weighted elevation data for the agricultural field is used to map the predicted relative changes in organic matter.

20. A computer-implemented method for mapping relative organic matter in an agricultural field, comprising:

mapping changes in relative organic matter within an agricultural field utilizing at least one band from one or more remotely sensed images of the agricultural field and an elevation change of the agricultural field using a computer processor, each band associated with a light spectrum wavelength range, wherein each band used in the calculation and the elevation change of the agricultural field is weighted based on a contribution each of the band and the elevation change provides to predict a change in organic matter content;

using the computer processor to separate the relative change in organic matter within the agricultural field according to geographic zones, each zone defined by weighting pixels of the one or more remotely sensed images based on the a predefined range of relative organic matter within the zone, and each zone comprising a different relative organic matter content with respect to an adjacent zone, wherein zone boundaries are predicted using one or more elevation changes, and wherein the zone boundaries are defined where a value of the weighted pixels reaches a predefined threshold; and

using the computer processor to recommend a nutrient supplement for each zone based on the relative organic matter content associated with each of the zones.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more remotely sensed images includes one or more historical remotely sensed images and one or more current remotely sensed images.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein bands used in the one or more historical remotely sensed images are different than the bands used in the one or more current remotely sensed images.

23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the processor unit to calculate zone boundary predictions based on slope change data before calculating the zones.