Remote Sensing

 Remote sensing is the acquisition of data about an

object or scene by a sensor that is far from the object
 DATA ACQUISITION
 Data storage
 Spatial, Spectral, Radiometric &Temporal resolution
 DATA PROCESSING
 Spatial, radiometric, spectral enhancement &
classification
 Types of RS
 In respect to the type of Energy Resources:
Passive Remote Sensing: Makes use of sensors that detect the
reflected or emitted electro-magnetic radiation from natural
sources.
Active remote Sensing: Makes use of sensors that detect
reflected responses from objects that are irradiated from
artificially-generated energy sources, such as radar.
 In respect to Wavelength Regions:

Remote Sensing is classified into three types in respect to the

wavelength regions
 Visible and Reflective Infrared Remote Sensing.
 Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing.
 Microwave Remote Sensing.
 Wavelength characteristics
Band wavelength Principal
(µm)
1 0.45-0.52 Sensitive to sedimentation, deciduous/coniferous forest cover
discrimination, soil vegetation differentiation

2 0.52-0.59 Green reflectance by healthy vegetation, vegetation vigour, rock-

soil discrimination, turbidity and bathymetry in shallow waters

3 0.62-0.68 Sensitive to chlorophyll absorption: plant species discrimination,

differentiation of soil and geological boundary

4 0.77-0.86 Sensitive to green biomass and moisture in vegetation, land and

water contrast, landform/geomorphic studies.
 Satellite specifications
Features Landsat1,2,3 Landsat 4,5 SPOT IRS-IA IRS-IC
Natre Sun Sys Sun Sys Sun Sys Sun Sys Sun Sys
Altitude (km) 919 705 832 904 817
Orbital period 103.3 99 101 103.2 101.35
(minutes)
inclination 99 98.2 98.7 99 98.69
(degrees
Temporal 18 16 26 22 24
resolution
(days)
Revolutions 251 233 369 307 341
Equatorial 09.30 09.30 10.30 10.00 10.30
crossing (AM)
Sensors RBV,MSS MSS,TM HRV LISS-I,LISS-II LISS-
III,PAN,WIFS
 Sensor types
ACTIVE SENSORS
(Detect the reflected or emitted electromagnetic
radiation from natural sources.)
Passive
Non-Scanning
o Non-Imaging. (They are a type of profile
recorder, ex. Microwave Radiometer. Magnetic
sensor.Gravimeter.Fourier Spectrometer.
o Imaging. (Example of this are the cameras
which can be: Monochrome, Natural Colour,
Infrared etc.)
Scanning
o Imaging. Image Plane scanning.Ex. TV
CameraSolid scanner.
Object Plane scanning.Ex. Optical Mechanical
ScannerMicrowave radiometer.
PASSIVE SENSORS
(Detect reflected responses from objects that are
irradiated from artificially-generated energy sources
such as radar.)
Active
Non-Scanning
o Non-Imaging. (They are a type of profile
recorder, ex. Microwave
Radiometer.Microwave Altimeter.Laser Water
Depth Meter.Laser Distance Meter. Scanning
o Imaging. (It is a radar ex. Object Plane
scanning:
1. Real Aperture Radar.
2. Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Image Plane Scanning:
3. Passive Phased Array Radar.
Microwave RS
 Electromagnetic Radiation Spectrum
 The sensors on remote sensing platforms usually record electromagnetic radiation.
 Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is energy transmitted through space in the form of
 electric and magnetic waves (Star and Estes 1990). Remote sensors are made up of
 detectors that record specific wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. The
 electromagnetic spectrum is the range of electromagnetic radiation extending from
 cosmic waves to radio waves (Jensen 1996).
 All types of land cover (rock types, water bodies, etc.) absorb a portion of the
 electromagnetic spectrum, giving a distinguishable signature of electromagnetic
 radiation. Armed with the knowledge of which wavelengths are absorbed by certain
 features and the intensity of the reflectance, you can analyze a remotely sensed image
 and make fairly accurate assumptions about the scene. Figure 1-3 illustrates the
 electromagnetic spectrum (Suits 1983; Star and Estes 1990).
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Reflectance spectra
 Resolution
 spectral—the specific wavelength intervals that a
sensor can record
 spatial—the area on the ground represented by each
pixel
 radiometric—the number of possible data file values
in each band (indicated by
 the number of bits into which the recorded energy is
divided)
 temporal—how often a sensor obtains imagery of a
particular area
 Data Correction
 Line dropout
 Line dropout occurs when a detector either completely
fails to function or becomes temporarily saturated
during a scan
 Striping
 Striping or banding occurs if a detector goes out of
adjustment—that is, it provides readings consistently
greater than or less than the other detectors for the same
band over the same ground cover.

 Atmospheric correction
 Data Storage
 Storage formats
 BIL, BSQ, BIP
 Storage media
 CD, tape,
Continuous vs thematic layer
Image data
 Georeferncing
 Subsetting & Mosaicing
 Enhancement
 Multispectral classification
Multispectral satellite comparison
 GNSS

 As of 2010 the United States NAVSTAR Global Positioning

System (GPS) is the only fully operational GNSS.
 The Russian GLONASS is a GNSS in the process of being
restored to full operation (21 of 24 are operational).
 The European Union's Galileo positioning system is a
GNSS in initial deployment phase, scheduled to be
operational in 2014.
 The People's Republic of China has indicated it will expand
its regional Beidou navigation system into the global
Compass navigation system by 2020.
GNSS Status
GPS launch of satellite
 GPS use
 All GPS receivers capable of functioning above 18
kilometers (11 mi) altitude and 515 metres per second
(1,001 kn) are classified as munitions (weapons) for
which U.S. State Department export licenses are
required.
 These limits attempt to prevent use of a receiver in a
ballistic missile.
 They would not prevent use in a cruise missile since
their altitudes and speeds are similar to those of
ordinary aircraft.
 GPS Satellite
 A GPS receiver calculates its position by precisely
timing the signals sent by GPS satellites high above the
Earth
 the time the message was transmitted
 precise orbital information (the ephemeris)
 the general system health and rough orbits of all GPS
satellites (the almanac).
Other GNSS satellite systems
Other satellite navigation systems in use or various states
of development include:
 Galileo – a global system being developed by the European
Union and other partner countries, planned to be operational by
2014
 Beidou– People's Republic of China's regional system, covering
Asia and the West Pacific[
 COMPASS – People's Republic of China's global system, planned
to be operational by 2020
 GLONASS – Russia's global navigation system
 IRNSS – India's regional navigation system, planned to be
operational by 2012, covering India and Northern Indian Ocean[
 QZSS – Japanese proposed regional system covering only Japan