Transcript Document

OC3522 - Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Ocean - Summer 2001
Review of EMR & Radiative Processes
Electromagnetic Radiation - remote sensing requires understanding of the
nature of EMR emitted or backscattered from a surface or along a path.
Nature of Light
•Light is envisioned as consisting of numerous localized packets of electromagnetic (EM)
energy called photon, which move through empty space with speed c = 2.998 x 10**8 m/s.
•The energy of a photon is equal to h times its frequency (quantum of light), where h is the
Planck's constant (=6.626 10**-34 J s)
•But a photon is not a particle in the sense of classical mechanics: It has wave-like properties
(wavelength and frequency). A photon is a localized wave-packet of time-varying, oscillating,
self-sustaining electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields. The frequency of the oscillation of the EM
fields is the photon's frequency. The state of polarization is related to the direction of the plane
of vibration of the photon's E field.
•Wave-Particle duality of light: A photon is not either a particle or a wave, but both aspects are
necessary for a proper understanding of light.
EM radiation can transport energy.
E = hc/l
Where E = energy of a photon in Joules
h = Plank’s constant = 6.626e-34 Js
c = speed of light
Therefore - EM radiation travels at the speed of light and the frequency of
the charge oscillation determines the wavelength.
Range of atmospheric/oceanic Remote Sensing
Definitions
Energy spectrum can described in terms of:
frequency
wavelength
wavenumber
n
l
k
Hz
m
m-1
radiant energy
Q
J

Watts or Js-1
M,E
Wm-2
Energy / unit of time
radiant flux
Flux crossing an area
radiant flux density
leaving an area
exitance
incident on an area
irradiance
Wm-2
Wm-2
Defining a direction in space
The direction of a line through any point on the Earth's surface is defined by 2 angles:
the zenith angle q, between the zenith (point on the celestial sphere located on the observer's ascending vertical) and the
direction observed,
the azimuth angle j between the North (on the local meridian) and the projection of the line on the Earth's surface.
The height (altitude or elevation) is sometimes used instead of q:
h = (p / 2) - q,
q varies along the vertical plane from 0 to p/2 (0° to 90°),
jvaries along the horizontal plane from 0 to 2 p (0° to 360°).
Light is a function of direction - and we use the concept of a solid
angle; where 4pR2 defines the total area of sphere and there are 4p
steradians covering a sphere.
A solid angle dW delimits a cone in space: d W = dS / r2 (in steradians, Sr) where dS is the area cut by the
cone over a sphere of radius r the center of which is at the apex of the cone.
The solid angle corresponding to all the space around a point equals 4p Sr. The solid angle of a revolving
cone for which the plane half-angle at the apex is a
equals: W= 2p (1 - cos a) Sr.
For an observer on Earth, the half-space formed by the celestial arch (in other words an hemisphere)
therefore corresponds to 2p Sr (a = 90°).

a) Point source
Intensity: intensity is the power emitted by a point source A per solid angle unit.
IA = d/dW (in W.Sr-1)
If the intensity is the same in all directions, the source is called isotropic. Whenever a source does not have
the same power in all directions it is said to be anisotropic.
b) Extended source
Radiance: radiance (L) is the power emitted (d) per unit of the solid angle (dW) and per unit of the
projected surface (ds cosq) of an extended widespread source in a given direction (q).
L = d/ (dW. ds. cosq) (in W.Sr-1. m-2)
then total radiant flux
 = ∫∫ L(f,q dW. cosq
If radiance is not dependent on q and j, i.e. if is the same in all directions, the source is said to be
Lambertian
Radiant flux/solid angle - outgoing (incoming)
irradiance (brightness)
/B
Wm-2 Sr-1
All satellite remote sensing systems involve the measurement of EMR, which has
been emitted, reflected or scattered by the atmosphere or the surface. These EMR
measurements allow the determination of actual physical values of the atmosphere
and the surface.
Targets such as land and sea at the surface and water droplets and ice crystals in
the atmosphere, reflect, absorb, emit and transmit radiant energy over a wide
range of wavelengths.
The emitted energy is described by a set of idealized blackbody (emits maximum
Radiation at each wave radiation laws. The Plank function that describes blackbody
radiation (perfect) is given by:
Radiance emitted by a blackbody =
Bl(T) = [c1/ exp(c2/(lT)) - 1] l-5  l-4 T (Rayleigh-Jean’s approx.)
(for bodies around 300°K)
Where c1 = 1.1910439 x 10-16 W m2 sr-1 = 2*Plank’s constant *C2;
C = speed of light
c2 = 1.438769 x 10-2- m K = Plank’s constant * C /Blotzmann’s constant
For any temperature T; Bl(T) has a signal maximum;
lmax is proportional to 1/T [Wein’s displacement law]
[differentiate Plank’s function with respect to l set = to 0 and solve for l
Sun - temperature = 6000 K, peak at 0.5 mm, center of the visible
Earth - temperature = 300 K, peak near 10 to 12 mm; IR
Wein’s displacement law says: The spectral distribution of blackbody
radiation depends on temperature. An object with very high surface
temperature (i.e., the Sun), will emit very high energy radiation at shorter
wavelengths, while a cooler object (i. e., the Earth) will emit a lower
energy at longer wavelengths.
lmax = 2897.9 T-1
Integrating Plank’s Function of all wavelengths
Gives the Stefan-Boltzmann Law:
M = p l
l = s T4 Wm -2
Where s == Stefan-Boltzmann constant = 5.67e-8 Wm-2K-4
BUT…
in reality - we have graybodies - not blackbodies
(no perfect emitters)
Emittance of a body is defined as

emittance
no units
l = emitted radiatance at l/Bl(T);
for a blackbody;  = 1
absorptance
a
reflectance

no units
transmittance

no units
no units
a= absorbed radiation at l/incident radiation at l
= reflected radiation at l/incident radiation at l
= transmitted radiation at l/incident radiation at l
a ++ = 1
Material
Emissivity
Coal Spoil
0.99
Grass
0.97
Water, Distilled
0.99
Water, Natural
~0.95
Mirror
0.02
Kirchhoff’s Law
“Good emitters are good absorbers”
l =al
Good reflector is a poor emitter
SUMMARY
Terms
• solid angle
• radiant energy
• radiant flux
• radiant flux density
• irradiance
• exitance
• emittance
• transmittance
• absorbtance
• Blackbody
• Graybody
Basic Concepts
•Plank’s function
•Wein’s Displacement Law
•Stefan-Boltzmann Law
•Kirchhoff’s Law