Remote Sensing

What is Remote Sensing

• Remote Sensing is the art, science and technology of observing an
object scene, or phenomenon by instrument-based techniques.
• Remote: because observation is done at a distance without
physical contact with the object of interest
• Sensing: Detection of energy, such as light or another form of
electromagnetic energy
Measurement from a distance
 Definition

• Remote Sensing is the science of acquiring, processing and interpreting

images that record the interaction between electromagnetic energy and
matter. (Sabins, 1996)
• The term Remote Sensing means the sensing of the Earth's surface from
space by making use of the properties of electromagnetic waves emitted,
reflected by the sensed objects, for the purpose of improving natural
resources management, land use and the protection of the environment.
(UN, 1999)
 History of remote sensing
• Telescope invented by specticalmaker Hans
Lippershey of Holland
• Galileo introduced the telescope to astronomy in
1609
•Limited magnification – up to 30 times - and a
narrow field of view
•First to see the craters of the moon, discover
sunspots, the four large moons of Jupiter, and the
rings of Saturn
History of remote sensing
• 1827 - first photograph
• 1858 - first aerial photograph from a hot air balloon
• 1861-1865 - Balloon photography used in American Civil War
• 1888 – ‘rocket’ cameras
• 1903 - pigeon-mounted camera patented
• 1906 - photograph from a kite
• 1914-1945 - Plane mounted Cameras WWI, WWII
• 1858 - First aerial (balloon) photographer
Gaspard Felix Tournachon, also known as
Nadar; picture of Paris Paris
• 1858
History of remote sensing
• 1956 - U2 spy planes
• 1957 - Sputnik-1
• 1960 - 1 st meteorological satellite ‘TIROS-1’ launched
• 1967 - NASA ‘Earth Resource Technology Satellite’ programme
• 1972 - ERTS(Landsat) 1 launched..
 Remote Sensing Process
• The process in remote sensing involves an interaction between incident
radiation and the targets of interest.
• The following seven elements are involved in this process:
• Energy Source or Illumination (A) - the first requirement for remote
sensing is to have an energy source which illuminates or provides
electromagnetic energy to the target of interest.
• Radiation and the Atmosphere (B) - as the energy travels from its source to
the target, it will come in contact with and interact with the atmosphere it
passes through. This interaction may take place a second time as the energy
travels from the target to the sensor
 Remote Sensing Process
• Interpretation and Analysis (F) - the processed image is interpreted,
visually and/or digitally, to extract information about the target which
was illuminated.
• Application (G) - the final element of the remote sensing process is
achieved when we apply the information we have been able to
extract from the imagery about the target in order to better
understand it, reveal some new information, or assist in solving a
particular problem.
 Remote Sensing
• Geospatial data acquisition (GDA): Collection, processing and
analysis of data for various purposes:
Water management
Land management
Resource management, etc.
• Data : representations that can be manipulated by a computer
• Information : interpreted data
 Remote sensing Sensors
• Passive sensors: Passive system
record energy reflected or
emitted by a target illuminated by
sun. e.g. normal photography,
most optical satellite sensors
• Active sensors : Active system
illuminates target with energy
and measure reflection. e.g.
Radar sensors, Laser altimeters
 Passive Sensors
• Remote sensing systems which measure
energy that is naturally available are called
passive sensors.
• For all reflected energy, this can only take
place during the time when the sun is
illuminating the Earth.
• There is no reflected energy available from
the sun at night.
• Energy that is naturally emitted (such as
thermal infrared) can be detected day or
night, as long as the amount of energy is
large enough to be recorded.
 Active Sensors
• Active sensors provide their own
energy source for illumination.
• The sensor emits radiation which is
directed toward the target to be
investigated.
• The radiation reflected from that
target is detected and measured by
the sensor.
• Advantages for active sensors
include the ability to obtain
measurements anytime, regardless
of the time of day or season.
 Remote Sensing Sensor
• Passive sensors : collect electromagnetic radiation in the visible and infra-
red part of the spectrum:
Aerial Photographs
Low resolution: Landsat, ASTER, SPOT, IRS
High Resolution: Quick bird, IKONOS
• Active sensors : generate their own radiation:
Air-borne RADAR
Space borne RADAR: ERS 1 / 2, Radarsat
LiDAR (laser scanner
IKONOS Satellite Images, Satellite Map | Satellite Imaging Corp
(satimagingcorp.com)
 Advantages of remote sensing
• Relatively cheap and rapid method of acquiring up-todate information over
a large geographical area.
• It is the only practical way to obtain data from inaccessible regions, e.g.
Antarctica, Amazonia.
• At small scales, regional phenomena which are invisible from the ground
are clearly visible.
• Examples: faults and other geological structures. A classic example of
seeing the forest instead of the trees.
• Cheap and rapid method of constructing base maps in the absence of
detailed land surveys.
• Easy to manipulate with the computer.
Disadvantages of remote sensing
It is not the answer to all our problems!

However, it often provides a very useful source of data to study

environmental processes
 Disadvantages of remote sensing
• Remote sensing instruments may become uncalibrated, resulting in
uncalibrated remote sensor data.
• Remote sensing Data must be corrected geometrically and georeferenced in
order to be useful as maps, not only as pictures. This can be easy or
complicated.
• Distinct phenomena can be confused if they look the same to the sensor,
leading to classification error.
• Example: artificial & natural grass in green light (but infrared light can easily
distinguish them).
• Phenomena which were not meant to be measured (for the application at
hand) can interfere with the image and must be accounted for.
• Example: atmospheric errors.
• Remote sensor data may be expensive to collect and analyze. Hopefully, the
information extracted from the remote sensor data justifies the expense.