FUTA/ARCSSTE-E MSc Program

Dr. O. O. Alabi
African Regional Centre for Space Science & Technology Education in English
(Affiliated with the United Nations)
Obafemi Awolowo University Campus
Ile-Ife, NIGERIA
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By the end of this section, participants will learn:
the fundamentals of remote sensing
how different features on earth interact with
electromagnetic radiation to form satellite
imagery
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Remote Sensing is the PROCESS of
acquiring about the Earths surface without
actually being in contact with it.
This is done by
Sensing and
Recording reflected or emitted energy,
Processing,
Analyzing and
Applying that information
 Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

1. Energy Source or Illumination (A): The first requirement of remote

sensing is to have an energy source which provides electromagnetic energy to
the target of interest
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Frequency (MHz)
14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

INFRARED MICROWAVES

ULTRA-VIOLET

MIDDLE
GAMMA

NEAR
X RAYS RADAR
RAYS THERMAL
RADIO, TV.

UHF VHF

0.01 0.1 1 10 100 0.1 1 10 100 0.1 1 10 1 10

Wavelength (l)

Angstroms Micrometers Centimetres Meters

VISIBLE SPECTRUM

BLUE GREEN RED

1 Angstroms = 10-10m
1 Micrometer = 10-6m
0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 m
1 Centimeter = 10-2m

VIBGYOR
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Wavelength:
The distance
between two
successive crests Crest

(or troughs)
Movement
Trough
Wavelength
At speed of light

Amplitude

Wavelength

An Electromagnetic Wave
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V=f
Where:
V = Velocity (m/s)
F = Frequency (Hz, s-1)
= Wavelength (m)
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The wavelength () = OS = PT
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What is the wavelength of the wave?

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What is the frequency of the wave?

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Quantum Theory of Light
The quantum theory of light describes radiation as a
succession of discrete packets of energy known as
photons with mass equal to zero. The amount of energy
transported by a photon is given by:

E = hf =

Where:
E = The radiant energy of a photon in Joules (J)
f = The frequency in Hertz (Hz) or s-1)
= Wavelength (m)
c = Velocity of light = 3.0 x 108 m/s
h = Plancks constant (6.626 x 10-34 Js)
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Calculate the energy of an
electromagnetic radiation of wavelength
0.45m in
a. Joules (J)
b. eV
c. What is the color of this radiation?
(1m = 10-6 m; c = 3.0 108 m/s;
h = 6.6 10-34 JS; 1J = 6.2 x 1018 eV)
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Calculate the energy of an
electromagnetic radiation of frequency
6.0 x 109 Hz in
a. Joules (J)
b. eV
(1m = 10-6 m; c = 3.0 108 m/s;
h = 6.6 10-34 JS; 1J = 6.2 x 1018 eV)
Quiz
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Two important physical principles concerning the
emission of electromagnetic radiation:
Hot objects radiate more energy than cooler
objects
A hot object emits radiation with short
wavelengths; a cool object emits radiation with
long wavelengths Schematics of a
warm body
radiating at
shorter
wavelength and
higher energy
than a cool body
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Stefan-Boltzmann Law
The amount of energy emitted increases with the
temperature

E= T4
Where:
E = The blackbody irradiance (in Wm-2),
T = Temperature of the radiating body (in K)
= Stefan Boltzmann constant (5.67 x 10-8 Wm-2K-4)

TSun: 5800K so the Sun emits a lot of energy

TEarth:255K so the Earth emits less energy
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E = hf = T 4

Hot objects radiate more energy than cooler
objects
A hot object emits radiation with short
wavelengths; a cool object emits radiation with
long wavelengths
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Plancks Curve
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Wiens Displacement Law
The wavelength of maximum emission (max ) for a body at a
particular temperature is inversely proportional to the
temperature

max = 2897/T
Where:
max = The wavelength of peak emission (in m),
T = The temperature of the radiating body (in K)

An inverse relationship between the wavelength of peak

emission and temperature
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Application of Wiens Displacement Law:
For the Sun: max ~ 0.5 m

For the Earth: max ~ 10 m (microns)

Higher temperature means shorter wavelengths

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Plancks Law
For a given temperature, a radiating body has a unique,
characteristic spectrum

Planck Curves
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About half of incoming solar radiation is
absorbed by the surface of the Earth.
The absorption of solar radiation leads to
heating which, in turn, leads to the
emission of long-wave radiation by the
Earths surface
 Long-wave outgoing Short-wave incoming solar
terrestrial radiation radiation

The Earth radiates mostly in The Sun radiates mostly in

the infrared band the visible band