Concepts of

Remote Sensing

Prepared by: Akash Tikhe (akashtk92@gmail.com)

 Natural Remote Sensing

Analysis

Sensing / Perceiving

Information / Knowledge

Boy or Man ?

Name the remote sensing organs in our body?

 Artificial Remote Sensing

Analysis

Sensing / Perceiving

Extracting Information / Knowledge

Output
Subject
 Components of RS
Sensor

Energy Source

Radiation

Atmosphere

Ground Acquisition centers/

Receivers

Output to Clients

Target area
Interpretation/ Analysis
 Electro Magnetic Radiation
Sun is the main source of energy.
Energy propagates in form of Electro
Magnetic Radiation (EMR).

Wavelength ()
Frequency () c = *
Velocity (C)
 Electro Magnetic Spectrum
Light energy is explained as EMR and can be classified according to the
length of the wave. All possible energy channels called as Electro
Magnetic Spectrum (EMS).

Human eyes can only measure visible light but sensors can measure other
portions of EMS.

Figure: Electro Magnetic Spectrum (EMS)

 SIX STAGES IN REMOTE SENSING
1
2

4
5 (Film)
4
3

3
6

Stage-1. Source of energy

Stage-2. Transmission of EMR towards the Object
Stage-3. Interaction of EMR with the Object
Stage-4. Transmission of Interacted EMR towards the Sensor 3
Stage-5. Recording of the Image by the Detector
Stage-6. Analysis of the Imagery
 Platforms
Decision Making
& Sensors
Solar Energy
Outputs Hard Copy

Outputs Softcopy

Space Borne

Air Borne
Absorption
Digital Interpretation

Scattering

Visual Interpretation
Reflected energy

Data Products Hard Copy

Incident Radiation

Thermal emission
Data Products Soft Copy

Ground Borne

Transmission
Data Processing
Antenna
ORBIT
The path followed by a satellite

Two types of Orbits are

1) Geostationary Orbits
2) Near Polar Orbits
 GEOSTATIONARY ORBITS
at altitudes of approximately 36,000 kilometres
revolve at speeds which match the rotation of the Earth
so that they seem stationary, relative to the Earth's
surface
This allows the satellites to observe and collect
information continuously over specific areas
 NEAR-POLAR ORBITS

The inclination of the orbit relative

to polar axis.

Some of these satellites orbits are

also sun-synchronous. This means
that they cover each area of the
world at a constant local time of day
called local sun time.
Platforms
 SWATH

As the satellite revolves around the Earth, the sensor

"sees" a certain portion of the Earth's surface.

The width of the strip imaged is referred to as the swath

width.
Pixels and Digital Number
 PIXELS (Picture + elements)

Black - 0 Grey
Pixel White - 255 values
256 Level Grey Scale
 Resolution of a Sensor

Spatial Resolution Area aspects

Spectral Resolution Band aspect
Radiometric Resolution Radiance
aspect
Temporal Resolution Frequency
aspect
 Sensors
Sensors are the devices, which gathers energy
and converts it into a signal and presents it in
form suitable for obtaining information about
the target under investigation (Aggarwal, S. 2003).

Types of Sensors
PASSIVE
ACTIVE
- Depends on External
- Creates their own energy
energy, Sun, fire etc
- Work day & night
- Work on day
- Non seasonal
- Seasonal
Ex: Radar, LIDAR
Ex: Latsat, LISS, Spot & AWIFS
 PAN

LISS III

WiFS

IRS 1C Sensors overview

 Characteristics of Sensors

Atmospheric Windows
Spectral Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Radiometric Resolution
Temporal Resolution
 Atmospheric Windows
The spectral Bands for which the atmosphere is transparent are called
as the Atmospheric windows.
 Spatial Resolution

refers to the size of the smallest possible feature that can be

sensed

IRS 1C/D 5.8m

(PAN)

IKONOS 1m (PAN)
RESOURCESAT 5.8m
MULTISPECTRAL
 Spatial
Resolution
LANDSAT
30 m

LISS III
23.5

PAN
5.8 m

IKONOS
1m
60 cm spatial
resolution
0.6 m Spatial Resolution Hyper spectral Space Image
 Spectral Resolution
The ability of a sensor to discriminate b/w different wavelengths in the
detected signals.
RS sensors can have spectral resolution from more than 1m to 1 nm.

Low Resolution Medium Resolution High Resolution

Panchromatic Multi-Spectral (MS) Hyper-Spectral (HS)

Single Band >1, <20 bands >= 20 bands
CartoSat P5 LISS-III, LandSat AVIRIS, Hyperion
Spectral Resolution

The finer the spectral resolution, the narrower is the

wavelength range for a particular channel or band.
 Four Band:
Spectral Resolution 0.52-0.59 (green)
0.62-0.68 (red)
Single Band: PAN
0.77-0.86 (near IR)
500 - 750 nm Panchromatic Multi-Spectral 1.55-1.70 (mid-IR)

CartoSat 1: Hyperion:
Band F image showing Katraj, Pune Image showing Katraj, Pune
 Spectral bands of Landsat 7

Band Number Wavelength Interval Spectral Response

1 0.45-0.52 m Blue-Green

2 0.52-0.60 m Green

3 0.63-0.69 m Red

4 0.76-0.90 m Near IR

5 1.55-1.75 m Mid-IR

6 10.40-12.50 m Thermal IR

7 2.08-2.35 m Mid-IR
IRS
IRS 1C
1C PAN
PAN IMAGE
IMAGE OF
OF VIZAG
VIZAG STEEL
STEEL PLANT,
PLANT, 1996
1996
IRS 1C LISS III IMAGE OF VIZAG STEEL PLANT, 1996
IRS 1C PAN, LISS III MERGED IMAGE
OF VIZAG STEEL PLANT, 1996
4 3 2 Composite of Landsat 7
7 4 2 Composite of Landsat 7
 Radiometric Resolution
Radiometric resolution is a measure of sensor sensitivity to the magnitude of
the EMR.
Finer the radiometric resolution greater the ability to detect the small diff. in
reflected/ emitted energy.
Digital resolution is a synonym to Radiometric resolution. It is the number
of bits comprising the each image.
It is also referred as no. of brightness levels available to record the energy.

Radiometric Resolution

1 bit = 21 = 2 = {0, 1}
8 bit = 28 = 256 = {0,1,.,255}
10 bit = 210 = 1024 = {0,1,..,1023}
 Temporal Resolution
Is the revisit time period of sensor to image the same area at the same
viewing angle.
Multi temporal Remote sensing

Kedarnath
Floods
(June 2013)

Image Credit: NRSC

Pre Post
Satellites with their Sensor Characteristics
Platform/Sensor / Image Image Size Spec. Visible Near IR
Launch Year Cell Size (Cross x Bands Bands
Along- (m) (m)
Track)
Bands

Ikonos-2 4m 11 x 11 km 4 B 0.45-0.52 0.76-0.90

VNIR G 0.52-0.60
1999 R 0.63-0.69
Terra 15 m (Vis, 60 x 60 km 14 G 0.76-0.86
(EOS-AM-1) NIR) 0.52-0.60
ASTER 1999 30 m (MIR) R
90m (TIR) 0.63-0.69
SPOT 4 20 m 60 x 60 km 4 G 0.79-0.89
HRVIR (XS) 0.50-0.59
1999 R
0.61-0.68
SPOT 1, 2, 3 20 m 60 x 60 km 3 G 0.50-0.59 0.79-0.89
HRV (XS) R 0.61-0.68
1986
IRS-1C, 1D 23.6 142 x 142 3 G 0.77-0.86
LISS III m km 0.52-0.59
1995 70.8 70 x 70 R
m km 0.62-0.68
(MIR) Pan
Landsat 7 30 m 185 x 170 7 B 0.45-0.515 0.75-0.90
ETM+ 1999 km G 0.525-
0.605
Landsat 4, 5 30 m 185 x 170 7 B 0.45-0.52 0.76-0.90
TM 1982 km G 0.52-0.60
R 0.63-0.69
IRS-1A, 1B 36.25 m 148 x 148 4 B 0.77-0.86
LISS I, II (LISSII) km 0.45-0.52
1988 72.5 m (LISS G
1) 0.52-0.60
R
Landsat 4, 5 79 m 185 x 185 4 0.63-0.69
G 0.7-0.8
MSS 1982 km 0.5-0.6 0.8-0.9
R
0.6-0.7
IRS-1C, 1D 189 m 810 x 810 2 R 0.62-0.68 0.77-0.86
WiFS 1995 km
SCANNERS
 CHARACTERISTICS OF SCANNER

Output in digital form

Highly amenable for computer processing
No consumables
Flexible w.r.t. radiometric and spectral
resolutions
 ACROSS-TRACK SCANNERS

Scan the Earth in a series of lines.

The lines are oriented perpendicular to the

direction of motion of the sensor platform (i.e.
across the swath).

Each line is scanned from one side of the sensor to

the other, using a rotating mirror (A).
 ALONG-TRACK SCANNERS

Along-track scanners also use the forward motion of the

platform to record successive scan lines and build up a two-
dimensional image, perpendicular to the flight direction.
Instead of a scanning mirror, they use a linear array of detectors
(A) located at the focal plane of the image (B) formed by lens
systems (C), which are "pushed" along in the flight track
direction (i.e. along track).
Also referred to as pushbroom scanners
Principle of MSS.
 Spectral Reflectance Curve
Is the plot between the Spectral reflectance (ratio of reflected energy to
incident energy) and wave length.
It depends upon the Chemical composition and Physical conditions.

Typical Spectral reflectance curve for Vegetation, Water & Soil

Image Credit: Dr Robert Sanderson
 How the Object is Identified by Sensor?
The Basic principle of Remote Sensing is that each object reflect and emit
energy of particular part of EMR in a unique way. Therefore, the signatures
received from different objects is always different. This is called its
Spectral signature. This is the key for interpretation in RS.
 Which image will be suitable?
Consideration factors are:
Purpose what You are interested in
Scale- what will be the scale of out put
These will decide
Bands which part of spectrum
Spatial Resolution Positional accuracy required or minimum size of a
object to be identified Seasons of data acquisition

For Large scale Urban mapping High resolution images are applicable.
Example: IRS 1-D PAN 5.8m
Cartosat 1 2.5 m
Cartosat 2 1m
Ikonos PAN 1m
Quickbird 0.6m
For Display:
For single band panchromatic:
0 is black and 255 is white and in between gray

For RGB:
Three value from three band assigned as R,G & B will produce combination
of color
For example: Red=255, Green=255 & Blue=0, will be Yellow

How to display in your Computer?

Image is supplied in a specific format.
Image need to be converted to the S/W specific format.
Most of the S/W provide the interface to import such images.
Once imported it can be displayed and further processing can be carried out.
 Viewing images
Three bands are viewable simultaneously
Monitor
Part of color guns
spectrum
Band
Blue 4
1
Green
Band
Red
3
5
2
NIR
SWIR Band
2
3
 Land use
pattern
Urban
Pollution planning
monitoring

Biodiversity
Hydrology
conservation

Applications
Ocean & Surveying and
coastal of mapping
monitoring RS

National
Agriculture Security

Environment
Geology al Science
Forestry