the first geolocation estimate corresponds to at least one area depicted in the imagery the method further includes determining a second geolocation estimate the second geolocation estimate comprising a more precise geolocation estimate relative to the first geolocation estimate for the at least one area depicted in the imagery and steganographically embedding the second geolocation estimate in the imagery application_number US 77876204 A description for expository convenience the following specification focuses on satellite u201c imagery u201d to illustrate the principles of the invention the principles of the invention however are equally applicable to other forms of aerial surveillance data and other topographic mapping information accordingly the term u201c image u201d should be used to encompass all such other data sets and the term u201c pixel u201d should be construed to encompass component data from such other data sets when new aerial imagery is received it is generally necessary to identify the precise piece of earth to which it corresponds this operation termed u201c georeferencing u201d or u201c geocoding u201d can be a convoluted art and science in many systems the georeferencing begins with a master reference system e g latitude and longitude that takes into account the earth 39 s known deformities from a sphere onto this reference system the position of the depicted region is inferred e g by consideration of the satellite 39 s position and orientation ephemeris data optical attributes of the satellite 39 s imaging system and models of the dispersion refraction introduced by the earth 39 s atmosphere in applications where precise accuracy is required the foregoing u201c ephemeris u201d position determination is refined by comparing features in the image with the placement of known features on the earth 39 s surface e.