Dr S Kumaravel, Asst. Prof.

of Geology, TAGGAC, Tindivanam

RESOLUTION

Resolution can be broadly defined as ability of a remote sensor to capture and display details of
the ground features. In other words, resolution refers to the level of detail to which a ground
feature can be described and mapped. Resolution varies from sensor to sensor. Resolution is
broadly described as coarse and fine. Data having coarse resolution have coarser information
whereas data with fine resolution provide finer details. Resolution characteristics of remote
sensing data determine its application potential because data of different resolutions provide
different levels of details and hence are useful for mapping particular features at a specific
mapping scale.

Types of Image Resolution

The term image resolution is applied to digital images, film images, and other types of images
and it describes the details that an image holds. Image resolution can be measured in various
ways like spatial, spectral, temporal and radiometric. Based on these parameters image resolution
is categorized into following four types:

 Spatial resolution – it refers to variations in the reflectance/emittance determined by the

shape, size and texture of the target.
 Spectral resolution – it infers changes in the reflectance or emittance as a function of
wavelength.
 Temporal resolution – it involves diurnal and/or seasonal changes in reflectance or
emittance and
 Radiometric resolution – it includes changes in the polarization of the radiation reflected
or emitted by an object.

It is nearly impossible to acquire imagery that has high spatial, spectral, radiometric and
temporal resolution. This is known as Resolution Trade-off, as it is difficult and expensive to
obtain imagery with extremely high resolution. Therefore it is necessary to identify which types
of resolution are most important for a project.

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Dr S Kumaravel, Asst. Prof. of Geology, TAGGAC, Tindivanam

Spatial Resolution

Spatial resolution refers to the size of the smallest object that can be resolved on the ground. In
other words, spatial resolution is a measure of the sensor’s ability to capture closely spaced
objects on the ground and their discrimination as separate objects. Spatial resolution of a data
depends on altitude of the platform used to record the data and sensor parameters. Spatial
resolution of remote sensing system is influenced by the swath width. Remote sensing sensors
are generally categorized into coarse, intermediate and high spatial resolution sensors based on
their spatial resolution. Sensors having coarse resolution provide much less detail than the high
spatial resolution sensors. Because of the level of details the sensors provide, they are used for
mapping at different scales. High spatial resolution sensors are used for large scale mapping
(small area mapping) whereas coarse spatial resolution data are used for regional, national and
global scale mapping.

In a digital image, the resolution is limited by the pixel size, i.e. the smallest resolvable object
cannot be smaller than the pixel size. Spatial resolution is usually reported as the length of one
side of a single pixel. For example, Landsat 8 has 30 meter spatial resolution. In other words, an
image with 30 meter spatial resolution means that a single pixel represents an area on the ground
that is 30 meters across.

In analog imagery (film), the dimension (or width) of the smallest object on the ground that can
be distinguished in the imagery defines the spatial resolution.

Spectral resolution

Different materials on the Earth’s surface exhibit different spectral reflectance and emissivities.
The differences (variations) in reflectance and emissivities are used to distinguish features. The
selection of spectral band location primarily depends on the feature characteristics. The number

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Dr S Kumaravel, Asst. Prof. of Geology, TAGGAC, Tindivanam

and dimension of specific wavelength intervals in the electromagnetic spectrum to which a

remote sensing instrument is sensitive is called spectral resolution. Spectral resolution describes
ability of a sensor to define fine wavelength intervals. The finer the spectral resolution, the
narrower the wavelength ranges for a particular channel or band. High spectral resolution means
that sensor distinguishes between very narrow bands of wavelength.

Sensors which record radiation over a wide part of visible spectrum in a single waveband are
called panchromatic. Many remote sensing sensors record energy over several separate
wavelength ranges at various spectral resolutions such sensors are referred to as multi-spectral
sensors having few wide bands. Individual bands and their widths determine the degree to which
individual targets (vegetation species, crop or rock types) can be determined on a multi-spectral
image. Advanced multi-spectral sensors called hyperspectral sensors, detect dozens or
hundreds of very narrow spectral bands throughout the visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared
portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Different classes of features and details in an image can often be distinguished by comparing
their responses over distinct wavelength ranges. Broad classes, such as water and vegetation, can
usually be separated using very broad wavelength ranges.

(a) (b)
Spectral reflectance signature of (a) different targets including (1) cloud, (2) snow, (3)
vegetation, (4) soil and (5) water along with location of IRS-P3 MOS-A, B and C sensor
channels and
(b) various rock types (source: Navalgund et. al, 2007 and www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-
sciences/geography-boundary/remotesensing/fundamentals/2234)

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Dr S Kumaravel, Asst. Prof. of Geology, TAGGAC, Tindivanam

Radiometric resolution

While the arrangement of pixels describes the spatial structure of an image, the radiometric
characteristics describe the actual information content in an image. Every time an image is
acquired on film or by a sensor, its sensitivity to the magnitude of the electromagnetic energy
determines the radiometric resolution. The radiometric resolution of an imaging system
describes its ability to discriminate very slight differences in energy. The finer the radiometric
resolution of a sensor, the more sensitive it is to detecting small differences in reflected or
emitted energy.

Imagery data are represented by positive digital numbers which vary from 0 to (one less than) a
selected power of 2. This range corresponds to the number of bits used for coding numbers in
binary format. Each bit records an exponent of power 2 (e.g. 1 bit=21=2). The maximum number
of brightness levels available depends on the number of bits used in representing the energy
recorded. Thus, if a sensor used 8 bits to record the data, there would be 28=256 digital values
available, ranging from 0 to 255. However, if only 4 bits were used, then only 24=16 values
ranging from 0 to 15 would be available. Thus, the radiometric resolution would be much less.
Image data are generally displayed in a range of grey tones, with black representing a digital
number of 0 and white representing the maximum value (for example, 255 in 8-bit data).
By comparing a 2-bit image with an 8-bit image, we can see that there is a large difference in
the level of detail discernible depending on their radiometric resolutions.

These two images show a port area. The images are in grey scale.
The illustration on the left shows the image presented in two bits, or
4 shades of grey. The illustration on the right is the same but
presented in 8 bits or 256 shades of grey, which provides more
details. This collage shows the difference in the level of detail
between the two representations.
Temporal resolution / revisiting period/return time

One of the advantages of remote sensing is its ability to observe a part of the Earth (scene) at
regular intervals. Temporal resolution is the time between two subsequent data acquisitions for
an area. Temporal resolution is usually expressed in days. For instance, IRS-1A has 22 days

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Dr S Kumaravel, Asst. Prof. of Geology, TAGGAC, Tindivanam

temporal resolution, meaning it can acquire image of a particular area in 22 days interval,
respectively. Low temporal resolution refers to infrequent repeat coverage whereas high
temporal resolution refers to frequent repeat coverage. Temporal resolution is useful for
agricultural application or natural disasters like flooding when you would like to re-visit the
same location within every few days. The requirement of temporal resolution varies with
different applications. For example, to monitor agricultural activity, image interval of 10 days
would be required, but intervals of one year would be appropriate to monitor urban growth
patterns.