Intro to Remote Sensing

Lecture 1

What is remote sensing

Remote Sensing: remote sensing is science of

acquiring,
processing, and
interpreting

images and related data that are obtained from ground-based, air-or space-borne
instruments that record the interaction between matter (target) and electromagnetic
radiation.

Remote Sensing: using electromagnetic spectrum to image the land, ocean, and
atmosphere.

In this class, we will mostly focus on the

principles and techniques for data collection and the interaction of electromagnetic energy
with the Earth's surface
some application examples
also you will get familiar with ENVI, an image processing software.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Source: http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/PAIS/DIAL.html

average shrub
average grass
average soil

0.12

-1

-1

Radiance (Wm nm sr )

0.14

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0.1
0.08
0.06
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0
250

500

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1000

123 4

1250

1500

1750

Wavelength (nm)
5

2000

2250

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2250

2500

0.6
average shrub

0.5

average grass
average soil

Reflectance

What we
measure in
remote
sensing?

0.16

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
250

500

750

1000

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Wavelength (nm)

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http://www.asdi.com/

In-Situ scale measurements

Solar radiation

Many more:

Temperature
Soil moisture
Mineral and rock types
Rainfall
Snow cover, snow depth or snow water equivalent
Vegetation type and biomass
Sea ice properties (concentration, thickness, extent, area)
Elevation and change
Aerosol, gas types and concentration
You might name a few more?

Remote sensing platforms

Ground-based

Airplane-based

Satellite-based

NASA
Research
Spacecraft

Busy Traffic

Data acquisition

Applications of National Priority

Carbon
Management

Public Health

Energy
Management

Aviation

Water
Management

Homeland
Security

Coastal
Management

Disaster
Management

Agricultural
Efficiency

Invasive Species

Ecological
Forecasting

Air Quality

History of Remote Sensing

Aerial photography is the original form of remote sensing (using visible spectrum) started
in 1909
Aerial photographic reconnaissance was widely used after 1915 in WWI.
Photogrammetric Engineering, the official monthly publication of the American Society of
Photogrammetry, was first published in 1934.
Color infrared photography began 1931, then was widely used in agriculture and forestry.
Development of radar (1930-1940).
During WWII, non-visible spectrum (infrared and radar) were used as tools in remote
sensing.
After the first man-made satellite (Sputnik 1) was launched on 4 October 1957 by Soviet
Union, remote sensing moved to outer space, ignited the Space Race within the Cold War.
The United States' Explorer 6 transmitted the first space photograph of the Earth in August
1959.
The first systematic meteorological satellite observation came with the launch of the
United States' TIROS 1 in 1960.
Landsat 1 (originally called the Earth Resources Technology Satellite or ERTS) was the
first satellite to collect data on the Earth's natural resources. It was launched on 23 July
1972.
Hyperspectral remote sensing emerged (1980s), widely used in mineral, oil, etc.
exploration.
Since then, a large number and advanced types of remote sensing systems have been
developed.

Research Systems to Operational Systems

Imaging and Sounding
SeaWiFS

Aqua

NPP

NPOESS

Solar Irradiance, Ozone, and Aerosols

Observation

In operation
Under
Development
In Formulation
Tech
Development

Terra

ACRIMsat

SORCE

SAGE III

AURA

Glory

NPOESS
NPP

Atmospheric Composition
UARS
AURA

NPOESS

TBD

Ocean Surface Topography

Jason

NOAA/EUMETSAT

Land Cover/Land Use Change

Tech

Landsat 7

Data Assim

* Canceled
flight mission;
gleaning
technology
for GOES-R

OSTM

LDCM

Operational NPOESS

GIFTS*

GOES

Tropo Winds

TBD

Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation

NCEP

Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center NWS

NASA & NOAA jointly funding NRC studies on improving transition

From Terra, Aqua to NPP to JPSS

Terra (1999)
Aqua (2002)

NPP (2011, Oct)

Coriolis (2003)
WindSat

METOP (2006)
IASI/AMSU/MHS & AVHRR

AIRS, AMSU & MODIS

CrIS/ATMS
VIIRS
OMPS

JPSS/ (2016, 2019)

CrIS/ATMS, VIIRS, CMIS,
OMPS & ERBS

Use of Advanced Sounder Data for Improved

Weather Forecasting & Numerical Weather Prediction
NOAA Real-Time Data Delivery Timeline
Ground Station Scenario

NWS/NCEP
GSFC/DAO
ECMWF

C3S

IDPS

NOAA
Real-time
User

UKMO
FNMOC
Meteo-France
BMRC-Australia

Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation

Met Serv Canada

NWP
Forecasts

NPOESS, JPSS, and NPP

NPP and NPOESS have a long, complicated history
The tri-agency NPOESS partnership (DOD, NOAA, NASA)

has been dissolved

NPOESS is no more
The NOAA-NASA partnership continues under the Joint Polar Satellite

System (JPSS) afternoon platform series

DOD is continuing alone -- early morning platform series

NASAs NPP mission has not changed its name it is still

the NPOESS Preparatory Project.

The roles and responsibilities of the NPP Science Team have

not changed (at its core, the primary work remains EDR
evaluation and related algorithm improvements for climate
science!)
15

NPP Goals
The NPP mission has two major goals:

To provide a continuation of the EOS record of climatequality observations after EOS Terra, Aqua, and Aura (i.e.,
it will extend key Earth system data records and/or climate
data records of equal or better quality and uncertainty in
comparison to those of the Terra, Aqua, and Aura sensors),
and
To provide risk reduction for JPSS instruments,
algorithms, ground data processing, archive, and
distribution prior to the launch of the first JPSS spacecraft
(but note that there are now plans to use NPP data
operationally)
16

NPOESS no more

The greatest canyon on Mars: Valles Marineris

Trend and Future of Remote Sensing (1)

High spatial resolution

- IKONOS launched in 1999 by Space Imaging
(4 m multi-spectral and 1 m panchromatic)
- QuickBird launched in 2001 by DIGITALGLOBE
(2.44 m multi-spectral and 61 cm
panchromatic)
High spectral resolution
- AVIRIS, 10nm and 20 m, 224 bands
- Hyperion launched in 2000, 10nm and 30m, 220
bands
High radiometric resolution
- 8 bits to 12 bits
High temporal resolution
- GOES 15-30 minutes
- NEXRAD 6 or 10 minutes

Trend and Future of Remote Sensing (2)

Globe coverage, high repeatability (or improved temporal resolution)

- AVHRR, 1100m, morning or afternoon
- MODIS, 250-1000m, morning or afternoon
- NPOESS (will be launched in 2013), 370-740m, 4 hours
Real-time or near real-time availability
- MODIS available online in the second day ?
- NEXRAD available online in 6 minutes
- NPOESS available online in 15 minutes
Cost free or affordable
- Most of the federal collected images are free available or lower
cost, while commercial high resolution images are affordable.
Integrated remote sensing and GIS
- Remote sensing applications with the support of GIS
- Remote sensing data as a major GIS data source

Major image processing software

ENVI/IDL: http://www.rsinc.com/
ERDAS Imagine: http://www.gis.leicageosystems.com/Products/Imagine/
PCI Geomatics: http://www.pci.on.ca/
ER Mapper: http://www.ermapper.com/
INTEGRAPH: http://imgs.intergraph.com/gimage/
IDRIS:
Ecognition: http://www.definiensimaging.com/ecognition/pro/40.htm
See5 and decision tree