ThermalInfraredRemoteSensing

ThermalInfraredRemoteSensing
RadiantversusKinetictemperature
Blackbodyradiation
Atmosphericeffect
Principleofenergyconservation
RadiationfromRealMaterials
Kirchhoffradiationlaw

SelectedApplications
SelectedApplications
ofThermalInfrared
ofThermalInfrared
RemoteSensing
RemoteSensing

ThermalInfraredRemoteSensing
ThermalInfraredRemoteSensing

ThermalinfraredEMradiation
ThermalinfraredEMradiationisemittedfromallobjectsthathavea
isemittedfromallobjectsthathavea

temperaturegreaterthanabsolutezero(K).
temperaturegreaterthanabsolutezero(K).

Oureyescannotdetectdifferencesinthermalinfraredenergy
Oureyescannotdetectdifferencesinthermalinfraredenergy

becausetheyareprimarilysensitivetoshortwavelengthvisiblelight
becausetheyareprimarilysensitivetoshortwavelengthvisiblelight

from
from0.4
0.4mto0.7
mto0.7m
m..

Thermalinfraredsensors
Thermalinfraredsensors
Thermalinfraredsensors
aresensitivetothermalinfrared
Thermalinfraredsensors aresensitivetothermalinfrared

radiation
radiation((3.014m
3.014m))..

KineticversusRadiantTemperature
KineticversusRadiantTemperature
The
Theenergyofparticlesofmatterinrandommotion
energyofparticlesofmatterinrandommotioniscalled
iscalledkineticheat
kineticheat
(alsoreferredtoasinternalortrueheat).Allobjectshavingatemperature
(alsoreferredtoasinternalortrueheat).Allobjectshavingatemperature
aboveabsolutezero(0K;or273.16C)exhibitthisrandommotion.
aboveabsolutezero(0K;or273.16C)exhibitthisrandommotion.
The
Theamountofkineticheat
amountofkineticheatcanbemeasuredin
canbemeasuredinkinetictemperature
kinetictemperature
((TTkinkin)usinga
)usingathermometerthroughdirectcontactwiththeobject
thermometerthroughdirectcontactwiththeobject..

KineticversusRadiantTemperature
KineticversusRadiantTemperature
Theelectromagneticradiationexitinganobjectiscalled
Theelectromagneticradiationexitinganobjectiscalledradiantexitance
radiantexitance
((
).
).
Theconcentrationoftheamountofradiantexitance
Theconcentrationoftheamountofradiantexitanceemitted
emittedfroman
froman
objectisits
).
objectisitsradianttemperature
radianttemperature((TTrad
rad).
Thereisa
Thereisahighpositivecorrelation
highpositivecorrelationbetweenthe
betweenthekinetictemperature
kinetictemperatureofan
ofan
object(
).
object(TTkinkin)andradianttemperature(
)andradianttemperature(TTrad
rad).
Therefore,wecanutilizeradiometersplacedsomedistancefromtheobject
Therefore,wecanutilizeradiometersplacedsomedistancefromtheobject
tomeasureits
tomeasureitsradianttemperature
radianttemperaturewhichhopefullycorrelateswellwiththe
whichhopefullycorrelateswellwiththe
objectstruekinetictemperature.
objectstruekinetictemperature.This
Thisisthebasisofthermalinfrared
isthebasisofthermalinfrared
remotesensing
remotesensing..

ThermalInfraredAtmosphericWindows
ThermalInfraredAtmosphericWindows
Theatmosphereallowsaportionoftheinfraredenergytobetransmitted
Theatmosphereallowsaportionoftheinfraredenergytobetransmitted
fromtheterraintothedetectors.Regionsthatpassenergyarecalled
fromtheterraintothedetectors.Regionsthatpassenergyarecalled
atmosphericwindows
atmosphericwindows..
EMspectrumregionsthatabsorbmostoftheinfraredenergyarecalled
EMspectrumregionsthatabsorbmostoftheinfraredenergyarecalled
absorptionbands
absorptionbands.Watervapor(H
.Watervapor(H22O),carbondioxide(CO
O),carbondioxide(CO22),andozone
),andozone
(O
(O33)areresponsibleformostoftheabsorption.
)areresponsibleformostoftheabsorption.
Forexample,atmosphericwatervapor(H
Forexample,atmosphericwatervapor(H22O)absorbsmostoftheenergy
O)absorbsmostoftheenergy
exitingtheterrainintheregionfrom
exitingtheterrainintheregionfrom5to7
5to7m
mmakingitalmostuseless
makingitalmostuseless
forremotesensing.
forremotesensing.

AtmosphericWindowsintheElectromagneticSpectrum
AtmosphericWindowsintheElectromagneticSpectrum

ThermalInfraredDetectors
ThermalInfraredDetectors
TIRdetectorsare
TIRdetectorsaremadesensitiveto
madesensitivetothermalinfraredradiantenergy
thermalinfraredradiantenergy
exitingtheterraininthetwoprimarythermalinfraredwindows:35
exitingtheterraininthetwoprimarythermalinfraredwindows:
exitingtheterraininthetwoprimarythermalinfraredwindows:35
exitingtheterraininthetwoprimarythermalinfraredwindows:
m
mand
and814
814m
m..
TheEarthsozone(O
TheEarthsozone(O33)layerabsorbsmuchofthethermalenergy
)layerabsorbsmuchofthethermalenergy
exitingtheterraininanabsorptionbandfromapproximately910
exitingtheterraininanabsorptionbandfromapproximately910m.
m.
Therefore,
Therefore,satellitethermalinfraredremotesensingsystems
satellitethermalinfraredremotesensingsystemsusually
usually
onlyrecorddataintheregionfrom
onlyrecorddataintheregionfrom10.512.5
10.512.5m
mtoavoidthe
toavoidthe
absorptionband.
absorptionband.

ThermalRadiationLaws
ThermalRadiationLaws
A
Ablackbody
blackbodyisahypothetical,idealradiatorthattotallyabsorbsand
isahypothetical,idealradiatorthattotallyabsorbsand
reemitsallenergyincidentuponit.
reemitsallenergyincidentuponit.
Noobjectsinnaturearetrueblackbodies
Noobjectsinnaturearetrueblackbodies,however,wemaythinkof
,however,wemaythinkof
the
theSun
Sunasapproximatinga6,000Kblackbodyandthe
asapproximatinga6,000KblackbodyandtheEarth
Earthasa300
asa300
Kblackbody.
Kblackbody.

BlackbodyRadiation
BlackbodyRadiation
CurvesforSeveral
CurvesforSeveral
Objectsincludingthe
Objectsincludingthe
SunandEarth
SunandEarth

WeinsDisplacementLaw
WeinsDisplacementLaw
Therelationshipbetweenthekinetictemperatureofablackbody(
Therelationshipbetweenthekinetictemperatureofablackbody(TT)and
)and
its
itsdominantwavelength
dominantwavelength((mm)wherepeakexitanceoccursisdescribedby
)wherepeakexitanceoccursisdescribedby
Weinsdisplacementlaw
Weinsdisplacementlaw::

A
m
T

WeinsDisplacementLaw
WeinsDisplacementLaw
Forexample,theaveragetemperatureofthe
Forexample,theaveragetemperatureoftheEarth
Earthis300K
is300K
(80F).
(80F).
Wecomputethe
WecomputetheEarthsdominantwavelength
Earthsdominantwavelengthas:
as:

=
=2898
2898mK
mK

max
max

TT
max=
2898mK=9.67m
max=2898mK=9.67m

300K
300K

WeinsDisplacementLaw
WeinsDisplacementLaw
The
Thedominantwavelength
dominantwavelengthprovidesvaluableinformationaboutwhich
providesvaluableinformationaboutwhich
partofthethermalspectrumwemightwanttosensein.Forexample,if
partofthethermalspectrumwemightwanttosensein.Forexample,if
wearelookingfor
wearelookingfor800Kforestfires
800Kforestfiresthathaveadominantwavelengthof
thathaveadominantwavelengthof
approximately
approximately3.62
3.62m
mthenthemostappropriateremotesensingsystem
thenthemostappropriateremotesensingsystem
mightbea35m
thermalinfrareddetector.
mightbea
mightbea35m
thermalinfrareddetector.
mightbea
Ifweareinterestedin
Ifweareinterestedinsoil,water,androckwithambient
soil,water,androckwithambient
temperaturesontheearthssurfaceof300K
temperaturesontheearthssurfaceof300Kandadominant
andadominant
wavelengthof
wavelengthof9.66
9.66m
m,thenathermalinfrareddetectoroperatinginthe
,thenathermalinfrareddetectoroperatinginthe88
14
14m
mregionmightbemostappropriate.
regionmightbemostappropriate.

Developments from Plancks Law:

Stefan-Boltzmann Law

The area under the Planck curve

represents the total energy (M)
emitted by an object at a given
temperature (T)
The Stefan-Boltzmann law
calculate this energy for a
blackbody at a given temperature
(T).

StephenBoltzmannLaw
StephenBoltzmannLaw
Totalradiantexitance
Totalradiantexitance(M)leavingthesurfaceofa
(M)leavingthesurfaceofablackbody
blackbodyis
is
proportionaltothefourthpowerofitstemperature(
proportionaltothefourthpowerofitstemperature(TT).Thisisthe
).ThisistheStefan
Stefan
Boltzmannlaw.
Boltzmannlaw.

M T

where
whereisisthe
theStefan-Boltzmann
Stefan-Boltzmannconstant,
constant,5.6697
5.6697xx10-8
10-8W
Wm-2
m-2K-4
K-4. .

ThustheremotemeasurementofradiantexitanceMfromasurfacecanbe
ThustheremotemeasurementofradiantexitanceMfromasurfacecanbe
usedtoinferthetemperatureTofthesurface.Itisthisindirectapproachto
usedtoinferthetemperatureTofthesurface.Itisthisindirectapproachto
temperaturemeasurementthatisusedinthermalsensing.
temperaturemeasurementthatisusedinthermalsensing.

RadiationfromrealMaterials&
RadiationfromrealMaterials&
Emissivity
Emissivity
Realobjects(suchasrocks,soil,andwater)emitonlyafractionofthe
Realobjects(suchasrocks,soil,andwater)emitonlyafractionofthe
energyemittedfromablackbodyatthesametemperature.
energyemittedfromablackbodyatthesametemperature.
Emissivity
Emissivity,,,istheratiobetweentheradiantexitanceemittingfroma
,istheratiobetweentheradiantexitanceemittingfroma
realworldobject
realworldobjectandthatfroma
andthatfromablackbodyatthesametemperature:
blackbodyatthesametemperature:

Emissivity
Emissivity
Allrealworldmaterialshaveemissivitiesrangingfrom0to<1that
Allrealworldmaterialshaveemissivitiesrangingfrom0to<1that
fluctuatedependinguponthewavelengthsofenergybeingconsidered.
fluctuatedependinguponthewavelengthsofenergybeingconsidered.
Agraybodyoutputsaconstantemissivitythatislessthanoneatall
Agraybodyoutputsaconstantemissivitythatislessthanoneatall
wavelengths.
wavelengths.
Somematerialslikewaterhaveemissivitiesclosetoone(0.99)overthe
Somematerialslikewaterhaveemissivitiesclosetoone(0.99)overthe
wavelengthintervalfrom814m.
wavelengthintervalfrom814m.
Otherssuchaspolishedaluminum(0.08)andstainlesssteel(0.16)have
Otherssuchaspolishedaluminum(0.08)andstainlesssteel(0.16)have
verylowemissivities.
verylowemissivities.

blackbody
blackbody

SpectralEmissivity,
SpectralEmissivity,
SpectralEmissivity,

1
1

SpectralRadiantExitance
Sp
ectralRadiantExitance
SpectralRadiantExitance
2
1
2 m
WWm
m
um
2
11
Wm
m

a.a.

b.b.

selectiveradiator
selectiveradiator
0.5
0.5

0.1
0.1

Spectralemissivityofa
Spectralemissivityofa
blackbody,agraybody,anda
blackbody,agraybody,anda
hypotheticalselective
hypotheticalselective
radiator
radiator

graybody
graybody

0.1
0.1

1
1

10
10

Wavelength,m
Wavelength,m

100
100

1088
10
1066
10

6,000K
6,000K
blackbody
blackbody
=1.0
=1.0

6,000K
6,000K
graybody
graybody
=0.1
=0.1

1044
10
1022
10
1000
10
0.1
0.1

6,000K
6,000K
selectiveradiator
selectiveradiator

2xreduction
2xreduction
1
1

10
10

Wavelength,m
Wavelength,m

100
100

Spectralradiantexitance
Spectralradiantexitance
distributionoftheblackbody,
distributionoftheblackbody,
graybody,andhypothetical
graybody,andhypothetical
selectiveradiator
selectiveradiator

Emissivity
Emissivity
Twoobjectslyingnexttooneanotheronthegroundcouldhavethe
Twoobjectslyingnexttooneanotheronthegroundcouldhavethe
samekinetictemperaturebuthavedifferentradianttemperatureswhen
samekinetictemperaturebuthavedifferentradianttemperatureswhen
sensedbyathermalradiometersimplybecausetheiremissivitiesare
sensedbyathermalradiometersimplybecausetheiremissivitiesare
different.
different.
Theemissivityofanobjectmaybeinfluencedbyanumberfactors,e.g.
Theemissivityofanobjectmaybeinfluencedbyanumberfactors,e.g.
colordarkercoloredobjectsareusuallybetterabsorbersand
colordarkercoloredobjectsareusuallybetterabsorbersand
emitters(i.e.theyhaveahigheremissivitythanlightercoloredobjects
emitters(i.e.theyhaveahigheremissivitythanlightercoloredobjects
whichtendtoreflectmoreoftheincidentenergy.
whichtendtoreflectmoreoftheincidentenergy.

moisturecontentthemoremoistureanobjectcontains,thegreater
moisturecontentthemoremoistureanobjectcontains,thegreater
itsabilitytoabsorbenergyandbecomeagoodemitter.Wetsoil
itsabilitytoabsorbenergyandbecomeagoodemitter.Wetsoil
particleshaveahighemissivitysimilartowater.
particleshaveahighemissivitysimilartowater.

PrincipleofEnergyConservation
PrincipleofEnergyConservation
Incident(incoming)energy(
Incident(incoming)energy(i)isequaltothesumoftheamountof
i)isequaltothesumoftheamountof
energyreflectedfromthesurface(
energyreflectedfromthesurface(r),theamountofenergyabsorbed
r),theamountofenergyabsorbed
bythesurface(
bythesurface(aa),andtheamountofenergytransmittedthroughthe
),andtheamountofenergytransmittedthroughthe
surface(
surface(t).
t).

ii=
=rr+
++
+

Dividingeachofthevariablesbytheoriginalincidentenergy:
Dividingeachofthevariablesbytheoriginalincidentenergy:

/ )+( /
ii/
/ii=(
=(rr/
/ii)+(
)+(
/ii))
/ii)+(

allowsustorewritetheinitialequationas:
allowsustorewritetheinitialequationas:

=r
=r+
++
+
wherer
whererisspectralreflectancebytheterrain,
isspectralreflectancebytheterrain,isspectral
isspectral
absorptance,and
absorptance,andisspectraltransmittance.
isspectraltransmittance.

KirchoffsRadiationLaw
KirchoffsRadiationLaw
The
TheRussianphysicistKirchhoff
RussianphysicistKirchhofffoundthat
foundthatintheinfraredportionof
intheinfraredportionof
thespectrumthespectralemissivityofanobjectgenerallyequalsits
thespectrumthespectralemissivityofanobjectgenerallyequalsits
spectralabsorptance,i.e.
spectralabsorptance,i.e.~
~.Thisisoftenphrasedas:
.Thisisoftenphrasedas:

goodabsorbersaregoodemitters
goodabsorbersaregoodemitters..
Inmostremotesensingapplications
Inmostremotesensingapplications,objectsareusuallyopaqueto
,objectsareusuallyopaqueto
thermalradiation.Therefore,wemayassumetransmittance,
thermalradiation.Therefore,wemayassumetransmittance,=0
=0..
Substitutingemissivityforabsorptanceandremovingtransmittancefrom
Substitutingemissivityforabsorptanceandremovingtransmittancefrom
theequationyields:
theequationyields:

=r

=r+
+

ImplicationsofKirchoffs
ImplicationsofKirchoffs
RadiationLaw
RadiationLaw
Ifreflectivityincreasesthenemissivitymustdecrease.Ifemissivity
Ifreflectivityincreasesthenemissivitymustdecrease.Ifemissivity
increasesthenreflectivitymustdecrease.
increasesthenreflectivitymustdecrease.
Forexample,
Forexample,water
waterabsorbsalmostallincidentenergyandreflects
absorbsalmostallincidentenergyandreflects
verylittle.Therefore,waterisaverygoodemitterandhasahigh
verylittle.Therefore,waterisaverygoodemitterandhasahigh
emissivitycloseto1.Conversely,a
emissivitycloseto1.Conversely,asheetmetalroof
sheetmetalroofreflectsmostof
reflectsmostof
theincidentenergy,absorbsverylittle,yieldinganemissivitymuch
theincidentenergy,absorbsverylittle,yieldinganemissivitymuch
lessthan1.
lessthan1.
Therefore,metalobjectssuchascars,aircraft,andmetalroofsalmost
Therefore,metalobjectssuchascars,aircraft,andmetalroofsalmost
alwayslookverycold(dark)onthermalinfraredimagery.
alwayslookverycold(dark)onthermalinfraredimagery.

Relationshipb/wT
andT
Relationshipb/wTrad
radandTkin
kin
TTheradianttemperatureofanobjectrecordedbyaremotesensoris
heradianttemperatureofanobjectrecordedbyaremotesensoris
relatedtoitskinetictemperatureandemissivitybythefollowing
relatedtoitskinetictemperatureandemissivitybythefollowing
relationship:
relationship:

1/4
1/4T
TTrad
=

Tkin
rad
kin

ThermalInfraredMultispectralScanners
ThermalInfraredMultispectralScanners

The
Thediameter
diameterofthecirculargroundareaviewedbythe
ofthecirculargroundareaviewedbythe
sensor,
sensor,DD,isafunctionofthe
,isafunctionoftheinstantaneousfieldofview
instantaneousfieldofview,,,,
ofthescannermeasuredinmilliradians(mrad)andthe
ofthescannermeasuredinmilliradians(mrad)andthealtitude
altitude
ofthescannerabovegroundlevel
ofthescannerabovegroundlevel,,HH,where:
,where:

D=Hx
D=Hx

Forexample,iftheIFOVofthescanneris2.5mrad,the
Forexample,iftheIFOVofthescanneris2.5mrad,the
groundsizeofthepixelinmetersisaproductoftheIFOV
groundsizeofthepixelinmetersisaproductoftheIFOV
(0.0025)andthealtitudeabovegroundlevel(AGL)inmeters.
(0.0025)andthealtitudeabovegroundlevel(AGL)inmeters.
IFOVsrangefrom0.5to5milliradians
IFOVsrangefrom0.5to5milliradians

DaytimeOptical
DaytimeOptical
andNighttime
andNighttime
ThermalInfrared
ThermalInfrared
ImageryofNew
ImageryofNew
YorkCity
YorkCity

AerialPhotograph
AerialPhotograph

ThermalInfrared
ThermalInfrared

VerticalAerialPhotograph
VerticalAerialPhotograph

science
science
buildings
buildings

library
library

dorms
dorms

DaytimeOpticaland
DaytimeOpticaland
NighttimeThermalInfrared
NighttimeThermalInfrared
Imagery
Imagery

parking
parking

a.
a.
PredawnThermalInfraredImage
PredawnThermalInfraredImage

soccerfield
soccerfield

onedimensional
onedimensional

relief
relief
displacement
displacement
steam
steam
lines
lines

manhole
manhole
cover
cover
line-of-flight
line-of-flight
steam
steam
plant
plant

b.
b.

2xreduction

April26,1981
April
April26,1981
April
4:56am
4:56am
1x1m
1x1m

PredawnThermalInfraredImageofEffluentEnteringtheSavannahRiverSwampSystem
PredawnThermalInfraredImageofEffluentEnteringtheSavannahRiverSwampSystem
Savannah
River

March31,1981
March31,1981
4:28am;3x3m
4:28am;3x3m

PredawnThermalInfraredImageofa
PredawnThermalInfraredImageofa
ResidentialSubdivisioninForthWorth,Texas
ResidentialSubdivisioninForthWorth,Texas

hh

ee

ff
gg
aa

bb

dd

cc

250mAGL
250mAGL
1mradIFOV
1mradIFOV
6:45am
6:45am
Jan10,1980
Jan10,1980
0.25x0.25m
0.25x0.25m

NighttimeThermalInfraredImageryofanAirport
NighttimeThermalInfraredImageryofanAirport