YONG JING YEE A20BE0328

UJIAN 1 SEMESTER I SESI 2020/2021 TEST 1 SEMESTER I 2020/2021 SESSION

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By detecting the reflected solar radiation from targets on the ground, optical remote sensing
forms images of the earth's surface by utilizing visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared
sensors. At different wavelengths, different materials reflect and absorb light differently. In
remote sensing images, the targets can be differentiated based on their spectral reflectance
signatures. Based on the number of spectral bands used in the imaging process, optical remote
sensing systems are classified into the following types.
Panchromatic imaging system: The sensor is a single channel detector sensitive to radiation
within a broad wavelength range. If the wavelength range coincide with the visible range, then
the resulting image resembles a "black-and-white" photograph taken from space. The physical
quantity being measured is the apparent brightness of the targets. The spectral information or
"colour" of the targets is lost. Examples of panchromatic imaging systems are:

-IKONOS PAN
-SPOT HRV-PAN

Multispectral imaging system: The sensor is a multichannel detector with a few spectral bands.
Each channel is sensitive to radiation within a narrow wavelength band. The resulting image is
a multilayer image which contains both the brightness and spectral (colour) information of the
targets being observed. Examples of multispectral systems are:
LANDSAT MSS
LANDSAT TM
SPOT HRV-XS
IKONOS MS

Superspectral Imaging Systems: A superspectral imaging sensor has many more spectral
channels (typically >10) than a multispectral sensor. The bands have narrower bandwidths,
enabling the finer spectral characteristics of the targets to be captured by the sensor. Examples
of superspectral systems are:
MODIS
MERIS
Hyperspectral Imaging Systems: A hyperspectral imaging system is also known as an "imaging
spectrometer". it acquires images in about a hundred or more contiguous spectral bands. The
precise spectral information contained in a hyperspectral image enables better characterisation
and identification of targets. Hyperspectral images have potential applications in such fields as
precision agriculture (e.g. monitoring the types, health, moisture status and maturity of crops),
coastal management (e.g. monitoring of phytoplanktons, pollution, bathymetry changes). An
example of a hyperspectral system is:
Hyperion on EO1 satellite

When solar radiation hits a target surface, it may be transmitted, absorbed or reflected.
Different materials reflect and absorb differently at different wavelengths. The reflectance
spectrum of a material is a plot of the fraction of radiation reflected as a function of the incident
wavelength and serves as a unique signature for the material. In principle, a material can be
identified from its spectral reflectance signature if the sensing system has sufficient spectral
resolution to distinguish its spectrum from those of other materials. This premise provides the
basis for multispectral remote sensing.
The following graph shows the typical reflectance spectra of five materials: clear water, turbid
water, bare soil and two types of vegetation.
The reflectance of clear water is generally low. However, the reflectance is maximum at the
blue end of the spectrum and decreases as wavelength increases. Hence, clear water appears
dark-bluish. Turbid water has some sediment suspension which increases the reflectance in the
red end of the spectrum, accounting for its brownish appearance. The reflectance of bare soil
generally depends on its composition. In the example shown, the reflectance increases
monotonically with increasing wavelength. Hence, it should appear yellowish-red to the eye.

Vegetation has a unique spectral signature which enables it to be distinguished readily from
other types of land cover in an optical/near-infrared image. The reflectance is low in both the
blue and red regions of the spectrum, due to absorption by chlorophyll for photosynthesis. It
has a peak at the green region which gives rise to the green colour of vegetation. In the near
infrared (NIR) region, the reflectance is much higher than that in the visible band due to the
cellular structure in the leaves. Hence, vegetation can be identified by the high NIR but
generally low visible reflectances. This property has been used in early reconnaisance missions
during war times for "camouflage detection".

The shape of the reflectance spectrum can be used for identification of vegetation type. For
example, the reflectance spectra of vegetation 1 and 2 in the above figures can be distinguished
although they exhibit the generally characteristics of high NIR but low visible reflectances.
Vegetation 1 has higher reflectance in the visible region but lower reflectance in the NIR
region. For the same vegetation type, the reflectance spectrum also depends on other factors
such as the leaf moisture content and health of the plants.

The reflectance of vegetation in the SWIR region (e.g. band 5 of Landsat TM and band 4 of
SPOT 4 sensors) is more varied, depending on the types of plants and the plant's water content.
Water has strong absorption bands around 1.45, 1.95 and 2.50 µm. Outside these absorption
bands in the SWIR region, reflectance of leaves generally increases when leaf liquid water
content decreases. This property can be used for identifying tree types and plant conditions
from remote sensing images. The SWIR band can be used in detecting plant drought stress and
delineating burnt areas and fire-affected vegetation. The SWIR band is also sensitive to the
thermal radiation emitted by intense fires, and hence can be used to detect active fires,
especially during night-time when the background interference from SWIR in reflected
sunlight is absent.
The value recorded for a given pixel includes not only the reflected or emitted radiation from
the surface, but also the radiation scattered and emitted by the atmosphere. In most cases we
are interested in only the actual surface values. To achieve these values, radiometric calibration
and correction processes must be applied.
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Advantages Limitations

The microwave ability to enhance The lower part of the microwave is very
temperature and moisture profile crowded by different applications and it is
information, particularly over the ocean. very difficult to get any frequency band
allocated for other applications.
Microwave radaition can penetrate through Optical sensing system is not suitable for all
cloud, rain and dust. atmospheric conditions. It cannot penetrate
through clouds and haze.
Microwave is sensitive to important Require high power transmission and/or big
phenomena such as precipitation type and antennas to gather the signal. As you can't put
rate, ocean surface winds, sea ice presence, big antennas on the flight, you have to
and soil moisture that are not readily transmit high power which can be dangerous
obtainable with visible and IR to the health of the passengers (if too high) .
measurements.
Allows detection of microwave energy under Drawbacks to the microwave band for
almost all weather and environmental remote sensing are that the longer
conditions so that data can be collected at any wavelengths limit the spatial resolution
time.
Different bands in the microwave frequency In areas where vegetation cover is dense, it
has different penetration properties including visually covers the underlying formation and
vegetation and soil. As the frequency it is very difficult to detect structural limiting
increases attenuation of the signal from rain, the use of optical sensors.
snow, atmospheric oxygen etc. also
increases.
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