Remote Sensing - I

- Thermal Infrared Basics and Application

Remote Sensing Section

Blackbody Radiation, Atmospheric Transmission and

Regions of Operation for Remote Sensors

UV
Blue
Green
Red
IR

Energy

Suns radiant energy

at 5800 K

0.2 0.3

0.6

Earths radiant energy at 288 K

1.0

2.0

4.0

SWIR

MIR

6.0

10

20

40

60

100

200

0.5 mm

1 cm

1m

10 m

100 m

Transmission %

100

VIS

NIR

TIR

Radar Instruments
K band

Human eye
Thermal scanners

Photography

Passive microwave

Optical scanners - ms/xs

0.2 0.3

0.6

1.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

10

X band
C band
P band

20

40

60

100

200

0.5 mm

1 cm

1m

10 m

Wavelength in Microns
adapted from Lillesand & Kiefer (1994)
Remote Sensing Section

100 m

Fundamentals (Reststrahlen) of TIR (Silica)

a)
b)

a
c)

a)

8 10 m: asymmetric
Si O Si stretching
vibrations

b)

12 14 m: symmetric
Si O Si stretching
vibrations

c)

17 25 m: O Si O
bending vibrations

Remote Sensing Section

Spectral Features in the TIR Range

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

1 Forsterite Nesosilicate (Insel)

2 Olivine
#
3 Pyroxene Inosilicate (Ketten)
4 Hornblende
#
5 Labradorite Tectosilicate (Gerst)
6 Oligoklase
7 Albite
8 Orthoklase
9 Quartz

#
#
#
#

Remote Sensing Section

Feldspars and Carbonates

VNIR/SWIR Reflectance
TIR Emittance

SWIR

Orthoclase

TIR

Albite
Orthoclase
Calcite

Albite

Calcite

Remote Sensing Section

TIR Laboratory Measurements at Thin Sections

Remote Sensing Section

EO-Sensors providing Thermal Data

TIMS (airborne)

ASTER

Landsat (E)TM/OLI

4.0 m x 4.0 m GSD 90 m x 90 m GSD

at 1.5 km flight alt.
TM 1-6
60 m x 60 m GSD
ETM 7
100 m x 100 m GSD

NOAA AVHRR

120 m x 120 m GSD 1.1 km x 1.1 km GSD

Spectral Bands
(in microns)
# 1: 8.2 - 8.6 # 10: 8.125 - 8.475 # 6: 10.4 -12.5
# 3: 3.55 - 3.93
# 2: 8.6 - 9.0 # 11: 8.475 - 8.825# 10: 10.3 -11.3 # 4: 10.5 - 11.5
# 3: 9.0 - 9.4 # 12: 8.925 - 9.275 # 11: 11.5 -12.5 # 5: 11.5 - 12.5
# 4: 9.4 - 10.2 # 13: 10.25 - 10.95
# 5: 10.2 - 11.2 # 14: 10.95 - 11.65
# 6: 11.2 - 12.2

TIMS served as simulator for the space-borne ASTER-System (Advanced Spaceborne

Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer)

Remote Sensing Section

Emissivity '' and Temperature

Variations of '' can be used to identify surface materials

'' and temperature are superimposed in thermal data sets

and thus are not directly deducible

Methods for separation have to be applied

Surface temperatures of homogenous objects like

waterbodies are relatively easily deducible as '' is known
and constant

At land surfaces, where '' varies on small scale with

changing geochemistry of materials (e.g. minerals or
pigments), '' is dominated and masked by temperature
effects
Remote Sensing Section

Emissivity of Materials measured in the 8-12m Region

Source: from Buettner, K.J.K., and C.D. Kern, Journal of Geophysical Research,
v. 70, p. 1333, 1965, copyrighted by American Geophysical Union

Remote Sensing Section

System Correction of Data in the TIR-Range - I

Lsensor () = Lscatter () + () () Lbb (,T)+ ()(1- ())F()

Lsensor = Total radiance at sensor (mW/m 2sr m)

Lscatter = Scattered light (atmospheric emission and scattering (mW/m 2sr m))

= atmospheric transmission (ground surface - sensor)

= Ground surface emissivity

Lbb = emitted radiance of a blackbody (mW/m2sr m) at a temperature T (K)

Recorded radiance is determined by the emitted blackbody radiation L bb, the

stray light Lscatter, the emissivity of the ground , the transmission and the
downwelling heat flow F.

= thermal heat flow from atmosphere to the ground surface (mW/m 2sr m)

Remote Sensing Section

System Correction of Data in the TIR-Range - II

The integrated, emitted blackbody radiation Lbb ( = 1) is

described by the given surface temperature T by Planck's
function in relation to the wavelenght for each band

Natural surfaces do not emit radiance like an ideal

blackbody
The spectral emissivity is defined by

i = Li ground surface / Li bb
as ratio of the (ground) materials radiation versus the
radiation of a blackbody at the same temperature
Remote Sensing Section

Thermal Characteristics of Minerals (and Water at 20oC)

Thermal conductivity
(K),
cal*cm -1sec -1*C -1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

Basalt
Clay soil, moist
Dolomite
Gabbro
Granite
Gravel
Limestone
Marble
Obsidian
Peridotite
Pumice, loose, dry
Quarzite
Rhyolite
Sandy gravel
Sandy soil
Sandstone, quartz
Serpentine
Shale
Slate
Syenite
Tuff, welded
Water

0.0050
0.0030
0.0120
0.0060
0.0075
0.0030
0.0048
0.0055
0.0030
0.0110
0.0006
0.0120
0.0055
0.0060
0.0014
0.0120
0.0023
0.0042
0.0050
0.0077
0.0028
0.0013

Density
g*cm

2.8
1.7
2.6
3.0
2.6
2.0
2.5
2.7
2.4
3.2
1.0
2.7
2.5
2.1
1.8
2.5
2.4
2.3
2.8
2.2
1.8
1.0

-3

Thermal capacity

Thermal diffusity

Thermal inertia

(c),
cal*g -1*C -1

(k),
cm 2*sec -1

(P),
cal*cm -2*sec -1/2*C -

0.20
0.35
0.18
0.17
0.16
0.18
0.17
0.21
0.17
0.20
0.16
0.17
0.16
0.20
0.24
0.19
0.23
0.17
0.17
0.23
0.20
1.01

0.009
0.005
0.026
0.012
0.016
0.008
0.011
0.010
0.007
0.017
0.004
0.026
0.014
0.014
0.003
0.013
0.013
0.008
0.011
0.009
0.008
0.001

0.053
0.042
0.075
0.055
0.052
0.033
0.045
0.056
0.035
0.084
0.009
0.074
0.047
0.050
0.024
0.054
0.063
0.034
0.049
0.047
0.032
0.037

source: Janza and others (1975)

Remote Sensing Section

Relationship of Thermal Inertia to Density of Rocks

Thermal inertia , cal * cm-2 * sec-1/2 * C-1

10

.0080
12

17

.0060

8
4
1
5

16
14

.0040

20

13

2
22
21

18

Numbers refer to the

materials listed in the
previous table

15

.0020
11

2
Density, g * cm-3

3
modified from: Sabins (1987)
Remote Sensing Section

Surface Temperatures of Rocks

Materials with different thermal inertias

Surface temperature C

with varying Inertia and Albedo

80

0.01

60

0.03

40

0.05

0.01

0.05

20
0.01

Surface temperature C

Materials with different

albedos

0.05

60
40

0.3

0.1

0.5

20

Limestone, Dolomite,
and Granite

modified from: Sabins (1987)

Surface temperature C

40

Symbol

20
0

12
noon

18

Rock
Dolomite
Limestone
Granite

Thermal
Inertia
0.023
0.036
0.058

0
midnight

Albedo
0.19
0.22
0.15

12
noon
Remote Sensing Section

source: Watson (1971)

The Effect of varying thermal Capacities

of different Rock Types

Rhyolite
0.40

Limestone
0.42

Sandstone
0.47

Paraffin

A. Spheres of rock heated to 100 C and placed

on a sheet of paraffin. The value for each rock is
the product of its thermal capacity (c) and density
in cal*cm-3*C-1.

B. After the rocks and paraffin have reached the

same temperature

source: F. Sabins (1987)

Remote Sensing Section

Surface temperature

Variations in diurnal Surface Temperature

Noon

Midnight

Noon

Midnight

Materials with lower thermal inertia;

shale, cinders, high T
Materials with higher thermal inertia;
sandstone, basalt, low T
modified from: Sabins (1987)
Remote Sensing Section

Diagramatic diurnal Radiances of Objects

&

Ro
ck

Radiant Temperature

local
dawn

oi l s

t at
Vege

local
sunset

(typical)

ion

at er
w
g
n
i
t and

Damp terrain
Metallic objects
0

Midnight

12

Noon

16

20

0 Hours

Midnight
modified from: Sabins (1987)
Remote Sensing Section

Heat Loss Survey of Brookhaven Nat. Laboratories

Long Island, New York

Arial Photografh with overlay of heating lines

Nighttime thermal IR image (8 to 14 m)

modified from: Sabins (1987)

Remote Sensing Section

Stilfonteine Area, Western Transvaal, South Africa

Arial photograph

Nighttime thermal image (8 to 14 m)

Dolomite and
cherty beds

Dolomite

0
0

Dolomite and
cherty beds

0.5 mi

Dolomite

Mine tailings pond

modified from: Sabins (1987)

0.5 km

Interpretation map of thermal IR image

Remote Sensing Section

Thermal Survey Hengill/S-Island (Thematic Mapper)

IHS-Color Composite
of Thematic Mapper
Data
I=band 4; HS=band 6

Highest temperatures are

indicated by saturated red
colors
Coldest temperatures are
indicated by green colors to
non saturated white (snow
covered Hengill)

Remote Sensing Section

Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (NASA-78)

600m GSD/10.5-12.5m

geol.
Map

VIS
Night TIR

Day TIR
Remote Sensing Section

Visible Data versus Day/Night IR

Visible

Day-IR

Night-IR
Remote Sensing Section

Pelleponnesus Gulf of Nauplia

TM-bands 4,3,1
coded RGB

TM-bands 7,4,1
coded RGB
Remote Sensing Section

Lithological Units derived from Landsat TM Data

2230'

ta

2250'

Geological Sketchmap of the

Central and NE-Peloponnesus

lia

Sk
otin
i

im
St

2240'

3750'

Legend
young soil deposits, slope debris, full
sediments of the poljes (Quaternary

Hol Holou
ousssa
sa

Alea
Alea

moris, conglomerates (Neogene)

limestones (Olonos-Pindos nappe)

Argos
Argos

sandstones, siltstones (Tripolis nappe)

Nauplia

3740'

limestones (Tripolis nappe)

Nauplia

Tr

metamorphic sediments (Phyllit series)

ip
is

fo
ul
G

ol

settlement

rg
fA

Tripolis
Tripolis

polje

os
N

3730'

10

Remote Sensing Section

15 km

Thermal Data Fresh Water Discharge

Band 4
(blue part)
Contamination
from harbor

124

Kroe
Lerna
Kiveri

119
121

Fresh water invisibile

122

Anavalos
123

Kiveri

124

Dam construction
for freshwater catchment
at Kiveri discharge

119

DN Values (not converted to absolute temperature)

each step is equivalent to ~0.6 C
Remote Sensing Section

Tectonic Elements derived from Landsat TM Data

2230'

im
St

ta

2240'

2250'

Structural Interpretation of the

Central and NE-Peloponnesus

lia

polje

3750'

settlement

Ho
lou
ss
a

lineament
Ale
a

strike-slip fault
spring
Argos

sinkhole
tracer path ways

Nauplia
Kalalar

3740'

strike-slip
fault
strike-slip
fault
E

Anavolos
Tripolis

joint

W
joint
joint
S

3730'
0

10

Remote Sensing Section

15 km

Tschernobyl - Facts

the accident happened April 26, 1986 in

Block 4 of the power plant near the city
Prypjat in Ukraine
within the first ten days after the
explosion several trillion
Becquerel have been released
Isotopes Caesium-137 (RHL ~30 Jahre)
and Iod-131 (RHL: 8 Tage) evaporated
Remote Sensing Section

Chernobyl - Thematic Mapper

before nuclear accident: April 21, 1985
RGB: bands 7, 5 and 3.
water color-coded by thermal band (6)
red -> yellow -> green -> blue
warm -----------------------> cold

source: Richter et al. 1986

Remote Sensing Section

Chernobyl - Thematic Mapper

3 days after the nuclear accident: April 29, 1986
RGB: bands 7, 5 and 3.
water color-coded by thermal band (6)
red -> yellow -> green -> blue
warm -----------------------> cold

source: Richter et al. 1986

Remote Sensing Section

Basic Laws of Radiation II

Blackbody Radiation Wien's Displacement Law
UV

Relative Electromagnetic Intensity

104

VIS

NIR

SWIR

MIR/TIR

sun
5800 K

103

FIR

Wien's displacement law

102

max

2897 mK

rad

molten lava
nuclear
accident
1400 K

10
1

forest fire
1000 K

0.1

hot spring
360 K
ambient
288 K

10-2
10-3

arctic ice
220 K

10-4
10-5
10-6
0.1

0.2

0.5

10

20

50

100

Wavelength (Microns)
adapted from Lillesand & Kiefer, 1994
Remote Sensing Section

Calculation of Kinetic Temperature from DN Values

TM-5 / 1.6 m

40

42

37

TM-7 / 2.2 m

23

25

21

36

25

23

26

39

35

21

17

13

21

20

33

33

75

93

42

59

19

165 149

43

32

26

29

66

73

46

72

16

14

91

85

45

43

31

36

44

47

34

69

18

23

20

24

41

45

44

44

44

47

60

64

26

27

27

27

38

43

Geometric Considerations:

DN => Spectral Radiance

L i

D i

S i / G i mWcm

sr

calculate background/target radiation for selected pixels

Spectral Radiance => Brightness Temperature

L i , T B c 1 / 5 exp c 2 / , T B 1K

calculate contributing fraction of target to selected pixels

calculate atmospheric attenuations
calculate spectral radiance of sub-pixel target

Target Size

Brightness Temperature => Kinetic Temperature

T B

1/ 4

T kin K

Richter et al. 1986

14 x14
10 x10

m
2

Tband - 5 K

Tband - 7 K

1050
1300

1000
1250

Remote Sensing Section

Wiesn in Munich - Optical versus Thermal Data

Airplane Imagery
Real Color (2009?)

Dais 7915 Band 74, 9m

20.09.1994, ~11.00hrs
Remote Sensing Section