Remote Sensing Techniques

 Active Sensors

 LiDAR: LiDAR, short for light detection and ranging, is a remote

sensing technology that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges
(distances) to a target. A LiDAR sensor fires off beams of laser light and then
measures how long it takes for the light to return to the sensor.
 RADAR: RADAR stands for "RAdio Detection And Ranging". By virtue of
sending out pulses of microwave electromagnetic radiation this type of instrument
can be classified as an "active sensor" - it measures the time between pulses and
their reflected components to determine distance. Different pulse intervals,
different wavelengths, different geometry and polarizations can be combined to
roughness characteristics of the earth surface. Radar uses relative long wavelengths
which allows these systems to "see" through clouds, smoke, and some vegetation.
Also, being an active system, it can be operated day or night. There are
disadvantages, such as the non-unique spectral properties of the returned radar
signal. Unlike infrared data that help us to identify different minerals or vegetation
types from reflected sunlight, radar only shows the difference in the surface
roughness and geometry and moisture content of the ground (the complex dielectric
constant). Radar and infrared sensors are complimentary instruments and are often
used together to study the same types of earth surfaces.
 InSAR: Interferometric synthetic aperture radar, abbreviated InSAR (or
deprecated IfSAR), is a radar technique used in geodesy and remote sensing. This
geodetic method uses two or more synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images to
generate maps of surface deformation or digital elevation, using differences in
the phase of the waves returning to the satellite[1][2][3] or aircraft. The technique can
potentially measure millimetre-scale changes in deformation over spans of days to
years. It has applications for geophysical monitoring of natural hazards, for
example earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides, and in structural engineering, in
particular monitoring of subsidence and structural stability.
 PSInSAR: Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar
(PSInSAR) is a remote sensing technique that uses radar signals from a satellite to
accurately measure ground displacement. PSInSAR is an improved and more
accurate analysis algorithm compared to the InSAR method.
 SAR: Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that is used to create two-
dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as
landscapes.[1] SAR uses the motion of the radar antenna over a target region to
provide finer spatial resolution than conventional beam-scanning radars. SAR is
typically mounted on a moving platform, such as an aircraft or spacecraft, and has
its origins in an advanced form of side looking airborne radar (SLAR). The distance
the SAR device travels over a target in the time taken for the radar pulses to return
to the antenna creates the large synthetic antenna aperture (the size of the antenna).
Typically, the larger the aperture, the higher the image resolution will be, regardless
of whether the aperture is physical (a large antenna) or synthetic (a moving antenna)
– this allows SAR to create high-resolution images with comparatively small
 physical antennas. Additionally, SAR has the property of having larger apertures
for more distant objects, allowing consistent spatial resolution over a range of
viewing distances.
 SqueeSAR: SqueeSAR is an improved algorithm for analyzing Synthetic-Aperture
Radar (SAR) data collected via satellite. SqueeSAR is an improvement of
the PSInSAR method. The SqueeSAR method not only identifies Permanent
Scatterers (PS), it also identifies Distributed Scatterers (DS). DS’s are features on
the surface which extend over larger areas such as fallow fields or bare earth. By
identifying both PS and DS points the SqueeSAR method can recognize a
significantly larger set of radar targets for a given area compared to the PSInSAR
method. Using the SqueeSAR method is a great improvement over PSInSAR
especially in rural areas where PS targets are limited.

 Passive Sensors:

 Aerial Photography: Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking

of photographs from an aircraft or other flying object.
 FLIR: Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and
civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation.[1] The
sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other
thermal imaging cameras, use detection of infrared radiation, typically emitted from
a heat source (thermal radiation), to create an image assembled for video output.
They can be used to help pilots and drivers steer their vehicles at night and in fog,
or to detect warm objects against a cooler background. The wavelength of infrared
that thermal imaging cameras detect is 3 to 12 μm and differs significantly from
that of night vision, which operates in the visible light and near-infrared ranges (0.4
to 1.0 μm).
 Geodetic Survey: A survey of a large land area in which corrections are made for
the curvature of the earth's surface.
 Hyperspectral Images: Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a technique that analyzes
a wide spectrum of light instead of just assigning primary colors (red, green, blue)
to each pixel. The light striking each pixel is broken down into many
different spectral bands in order to provide more information on what is imaged.
 Longwave Infrared: Long wave infrared (LWIR) is a remote sensing technique that
is also referred to as thermal imaging. There are two types of long wave heat sensors
used to collect geothermal data. One type collects information in wavelengths
between 3.0 and 5.0 micrometers (these wavelengths are actually medium range
infrared but are grouped with the LWIR type surveys). Typical imaging devices
used to collect data in these wavelengths are Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR)
cameras. Data is usually collected from one or two bands and is used to detect
relatively warm areas at the surface such as hot springs, hot pools, hot rock/lava
and snow melt. Another type of long wave heat sensor collects information at
higher wavelengths of around 8 to 14 micrometers. These instruments can identify
the signatures of some minerals such as framework silicates that may be related to
hydrothermal activity.
 Multispectral Imaging: Multispectral imaging means methods for
spectral imaging where one obtains images corresponding to at least a couple of
spectral channels – sometimes more than ten. The used spectral regions are often at
least partially outside the visible spectral range, covering parts of the infrared and
ultraviolet region.
 Stereo Satellite Imagery: Stereo Satellite imaging also called stereoscopy or 3D
imaging is a photography technique originally developed for creating the illusion
of depth in an image or set of images. Two pictures of an object are taken from
slightly different angles allowing for depth to be perceived when viewing the
images. Several different techniques for viewing the images have been developed
and 3D technology is quickly developing. The first stereo images were simply
placed side by side and vied up-close, cross eyed, or through binoculars. Now stereo
images are combined into one image and viewed through some sort of 3D glasses.
In remote sensing applications photographs of the earth are taken and 3D
topographic maps and computer models can be created using the stereo images.
 SWIR: Short Wave IR (SWIR) is a subset of the infrared band in the
electromagnetic spectrum, covering the wavelengths ranging from 1.4 to 3 microns.
This wavelength is not visible to human eyes and as a result can often offer a better
image than what is achievable with visible light imaging.A number of
manufacturers make SWIR imagers and FPAs (Focal Plane Arrays) that detect
various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum with various qualities. One type is
InGaAs sensors which, unlike other sensor types, require no cryogenic cooling.
They are sensitive to the 0.9 to 1.7 micron wavelengths, meaning that they detect
both NIR (near infrared) and SWIR. InSb sensors are also available with a broad
spectral response from 0.9 to 2.5 microns, and other cameras capable of sensing
everything from 0.4 to 2.5 microns, covering the visible, NIR and SWIR regions
with one sensor.
 Radiometric: 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.