Transcript Remote Sensing of Our Environment

Remote Sensing of Our
Environment
Using Satellite Digital Images to
Analyze the Earth’s Surface
CIR Film at Close Range
Air Photos
Artist’s Rendition of SPOT
Satellite
Definition of Remote Sensing
• Remote sensing is the science and
art of acquiring information
(spectral, spatial, temporal) about
material objects, area, or
phenomenon, without coming into
physical contact.
EMR
• In remote sensing, information
transfer is accomplished by use of
electromagnetic radiation (EMR).
Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Geraniums - Normal Color Film
Geraniums - CIR Film
Normal Color/CIR Comparison
Thermal Radiometer
Archeology Site - South Dakota
Big Brother Watching…..
Interactions between Matter and
Electro-magnetic Radiation
• All matter reflects, absorbs, penetrates and
emits electro-magnetic radiation in a unique
way.
• For example, the reason why a leaf looks
green is that the chlorophyll absorbs blue
and red spectra and reflects the green
spectrum
Landsat MSS - Where??
Where?
Where?
Where?
Where?
What Season?
See the Line?
Significant Variations in Land
Cover and Land Use
Ready to Go!
What Scale?
PacMan Farm….
Gharb, Morocco
Gharb - Pre-Harvest
Gharb - Post-Harvest
Sakur, Japan
Chernobyl - 1986
Ocean Measurements
California Mosaic
MSS (80m) vs. TM (30m)
SPOT - Washington DC (10m)
Ikonos
1- and 4-meter
resolution
Jefferson
Memorial
1m Ikonos
Military Intelligence Satellites
The KH-12 series, the last for
which some specifications can
be found, is reputed to achieve
a resolution of 2+ cm, although
images of this sharpness haven't
been released.
Spatial Resolution
Detection vs.Recognition
San Francisco
2x Enlargement
4x Enlargement
8x Enlargement
NYC Landsat TM