Basics of Remote Sensing

Topics to be covered …..

 Introduction
 What is Remote Sensing
 Remote sensing Definitions
 Energy source and Electromagnetic Radiation Principles
 Energy Interaction with the Atmosphere
 Energy Interaction with Earth surface feature
 Energy Recorded – At the Sensor
 An Ideal Remote Sensing System
 Real Remote Sensing Systems Characteristics
Introduction
 Remote sensing can be broadly defined as the collection and
interpretation of information about an object, area, or event
without being in physical contact with the object.

 Aircraft and satellites are the common platforms for remote

sensing of the earth and its natural resources.

 Aerial photography in the visible portion of the

electromagnetic wavelength was the original form of remote
sensing but technological developments has enabled the
acquisition of information at other wavelengths including
near infrared, thermal infrared and microwave.
Introduction to Remote Sensing
Remote Sensing Process
Remote Sensing Process
 Remote sensing process involves the process of interaction
between incident energy and the target of interest under
observation.

 It can be summarized as follows:

◦ Illumination or Energy Source
◦ Radiation and its interaction with the atmosphere
◦ Interaction of radiation with the target
◦ Recording of reflected energy by the sensor
◦ Transmission, Reception and Processing of recorded data
◦ Interpretation and Analysis of Data
◦ Application of the technology
Remote Sensing Process

1. Energy Source or Illumination: For Remote Sensing the very

first requirement is to have an energy source illuminating
the target object or a source providing electromagnetic
energy on to the target of interest.

Source:en.wikipedia.o Source:marine.usgs. Source:

rg gov wy.nrcs.usda.gov

SUN RADAR SONAR LiDAR

Remote Sensing Process

2. Radiation and the

Atmosphere: During its
travel through the
atmosphere from its source
to the target, it comes in
contact with the gaseous
molecules present in the
atmosphere and interact
with them. This phenomena Atmosphere
of interaction may take
place a second time as the
electromagnetic energy
travels back from the target
to the sensor.
Remote Sensing Process

3. Interaction with the Target :

Once the energy from Sun
or any other source reaches
to the target after
travelling through the
atmosphere, it interacts
with the target.
Atmosphere

 This interaction depends on

the properties of both the
target and the radiation.
Target
Remote Sensing Process

4. Recording of Energy by the Sensor

Sensor: After interaction with
the target the radiation
energy gets scattered or
reflected back from the
target which in turn is
recorded by the sensor
which is far away from Atmosphere
target.

 This sensor can also record

emitted electromagnetic
energy from the target
depending on its sensing
capability.
Remote Sensing Process

5. Transmission, Reception,
and Processing: The energy
recorded by the sensor is
transmitted in electronic
form to the ground where
data receiving/processing
station do the preliminary
processing required to Atmosphere
convert the data into
image.

 This processed data can be

a hard copy image or a
digital image.
Remote Sensing Process

6. Interpretation and
Analysis: The processed
image is interpreted,
visually and/or digitally or
electronically, by the user
community to extract
information about target
under observation. Atmosphere

Analysis
Remote Sensing Process

7. Application: The
information collected from
interpreted and analyzed
image is lastly put to use
for better understanding
of a situation spatially,
reveal some new
information or solving a Atmosphere
particular problem or to
make better informed
decision. Applicati
on
Remote Sensing
 "Remote" means far away. Thus
remote sensing means sensing
or observing things and
phenomena from a distance.
 Of our five senses (i.e. hearing,
sight, touch, smell, taste) we
use three (i.e. hearing, sight &
smell) as remote sensors when
we:
◦ watch a football match
(sense of sight)
◦ smell freshly baked cake
(sense of smell)
◦ hear, train whistle from a
distance (sense of hearing)
Remote Sensing
 In today's world of science, "remote sensing" means
observing the Earth with electronically devised sensors from
high above the Earth surface.

 These sensors are like cameras except that they use not only
visible light but also other bands of the electromagnetic
spectrum beyond visible range such as infrared, radar and
ultraviolet.
Remote Sensing
 As these sensors are on board so high up, that they can take
images of a very large area in a single snap, sometimes even
a whole province/state.
Remote Sensing
 Today, many remote sensing satellites are available, launched
by different countries catering to different humanity needs.
 There are different kind of satellites like Metrological,
communication, etc. Thousand of images are acquired and
sent every day from the satellites to receiving stations on
Earth.
 In continuation the Earth's entire surface is imaged every
week or so.
Remote Sensing
 Earlier, the energy collected and measured in remote sensing
has been only electromagnetic radiation, including visible
light and invisible thermal infrared (heat) energy, which is
reflected or emitted in varying degrees by all natural and
artificial objects.
Remote Sensing
 The purview of remote sensing has been recently broadened
to include sound energy, which is propagated in a media like
water in sea.

 The instruments used for this special technology are called as

remote sensors and include photographic cameras,
mechanical scanners, imaging radar systems, and LiDAR, etc.
Remote Sensing
 Sensors are designed to
both collect and record
specific types of energy that
is reflected back towards
them.

 Remote sensing devices can

be differentiated as active
or passive based on the
source of illumination.
Satellite Remote Sensing vs. Aerial Photograph
Satellite Remote Sensing
 Speed: very high, high
temporal resolution
 Level of details: 50 cm in
Geo Eye-1 satellite
 Weather condition: cloud is
big hindrance in optical data
 Type of data: less, as each
new data type needs new
satellite launching
 Location: cross boarder
images and large swath
images can be easily taken
 Post processing: easy
because of single image
covering large area
Aerial Photograph
 Speed: slow, needs more time to
cover an area, not regular
 Level of details: may go upto 2.5
cm
 Weather condition: may work in
high cloud and thin cloud
 Type of data: high, as new data
type needs new sensors to be
mounted in aircraft
 Location: cross boarder images
cannot be taken without
permission
 Post processing: tough due to
large numbers of images
covering a small area
Types of Remote Sensing
Passive RS Active RS
 Don’t have any external  Has its own source of
sources of energy energy
 Worked at either  Active sensors emit a
reflected radiation from controlled beam of energy
sun, thus can work at to the surface and measure
night or emitted the amount of energy
radiation from the reflected back to the
target object/surface. sensor.
 Suffers from variable  Controlled illumination
illumination conditions signals.
of Sun and influence of  Can be done at day/night.
atmospheric
conditions.
RS Vs. GIS

22
23