RemoteSensingAndGIS

Friday, November 29, 2024 3:53 PM

2. What is the electromagnetic spectrum, and why is it important in remote sensing?

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, from low -energy radio waves to high-energy gamma rays. It includes visible light (what we see) as well as
invisible waves like infrared, ultraviolet, and microwaves.
Importance in Remote Sensing:
1. Energy Detection: Remote sensing relies on capturing energy reflected or emitted by objects, which is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
2. Target Identification: Different materials (like water, soil, or vegetation) reflect and absorb energy differently across the spectrum, helping identify and analyze them.
3. Expanded Vision: Sensors can "see" beyond visible light (e.g., infrared for heat or microwaves for radar), providing insights humans can't observe directly.
This makes the spectrum essential for studying Earth's surface and atmosphere accurately.

From <https://chatgpt.com/c/67499355-fe60-8009-bf9b-39057a48b39b>

What is the difference between active and passive sensors? Provide examples.

1. Energy Source:
○ Active Sensors: They have their own energy source and send out signals to the target, then measure the reflected energy.
○ Passive Sensors: They rely on natural energy sources, like sunlight, to collect reflected or emitted energy from the target.
2. Usage:
○ Active Sensors: Work anytime, even at night or in cloudy conditions, because they generate their own energy (e.g., radar).
○ Passive Sensors: Depend on sunlight or natural emissions, so they are limited by daylight and weather (e.g., cameras).

Examples:
• Active Sensors: RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging), LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).
• Passive Sensors: Optical cameras, infrared sensors (used in satellites like Landsat).
In simple terms, active sensors are like flashlights—they shine their light to see objects, while passive sensors are like cameras that need sunlight to take pictures.

From <https://chatgpt.com/c/67499355-fe60-8009-bf9b-39057a48b39b>

4. List and explain the basic elements of image interpretation.

Image interpretation in remote sensing involves analyzing imagery to extract meaningful information about the features and pa tterns present in the data. The basic elements of image
interpretation include the following:
1. Tone or Color
• Description: The brightness or color of an object in an image. Tone refers to variations in grayscale, while color refers to variations in hue when using multispectral or color images.
• Importance: Helps distinguish between different types of features. For example, vegetation appears green in natural color imagery, while water bodies might appear blue or dark.

2. Shape
• Description: The geometric outline or form of an object.
• Importance: Certain features have distinctive shapes, such as buildings (rectangular), roads (linear), or rivers (meandering).

3. Size
• Description: The physical dimensions or relative scale of an object within the image.
• Importance: Helps in identifying features by comparing their size with known objects. For instance, a stadium is larger than a residential building.

4. Pattern
• Description: The spatial arrangement or repetition of objects.
• Importance: Repeated arrangements can indicate specific features, such as agricultural fields (grid-like patterns) or urban areas (clustered patterns).

5. Texture
• Description: The degree of smoothness or roughness in the tonal variations of an image.
• Importance: Fine textures may represent homogenous areas like water or sand, while coarse textures could indicate forests or urban areas.

6. Shadow
• Description: The silhouette cast by an object due to the light source.
• Importance: Helps determine the height and shape of tall objects, such as buildings, towers, or mountains, and can obscure or reveal additional details.

7. Association
• Description: The relationship between objects and their surroundings.
• Importance: Some features are identifiable based on their context. For example, a bridge is often associated with a river, or a parking lot near a shopping mall.

8. Location or Site
• Description: The position of an object in the geographic or topographic context.
• Importance: Certain features are expected in specific locations, such as ports near coastlines or forests in mountainous regions.

9. Height or Depth
• Description: The elevation or depression of objects relative to their surroundings.
• Importance: Elevation data can help differentiate features like hills, valleys, and buildings when using stereoscopic images or digital elevation models (DEM).

By systematically applying these elements, interpreters can accurately analyze remote sensing images to identify and classify features, understand spatial relationships, and infer information
about the Earth's surface.

5. Describe the main functions of GIS.

Functions of GIS
The functions of GIS describe the steps that have to be taken to implement a GIS. These steps have to be followed in order to obtain a systematic and
efficient system. The steps involved are data capture, data storage (GIS Data Models), manipulation and analysis.

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efficient system. The steps involved are data capture, data storage (GIS Data Models), manipulation and analysis.
Data Capture
The input of data into a GIS can be achieved through many different methods of gathering. For example, aerial photography, sc anning, digitizing,
GNSS is just a few of the ways a GIS user could obtain data.
Data Storage
Some data is stored such as a map in a drawer, while others, such as digital data, can be as a hardcopy, stored on CD or on y our hard drive. Once the
data have been digitally compiled, digital map files in the GIS are stored on magnetic or other digital media.

Data Manipulation
The digital geographical data can be edited, this allows for many attribute to be added, edited, or deleted to the specificat ion of the project. Once data
are stored in a GIS, many manipulation options are available to users. These functions are often available in the form of “To olkits.” A toolkit is a set of
generic functions that a GIS user can employ to manipulate and analyse geographical data.
Query and Analysis
GIS was used widely in decision making process for the new commission districts. We use population data to help establish an equal representation of
population to area for each district. The heart of GIS is the analytical capabilities of the system.

From <https://www.brainkart.com/article/Geographic-Information-System-(GIS)_41129/>

From <https://chatgpt.com/c/6749995a-f0b4-8009-bfd8-51cc05560bbe>

7. Differentiate between spatial and non-spatial data in GIS.

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