------Using GIS--

Introduction to GIS

Integrated Geographical
Information Systems
(GIS) and Remote Sensing
(RS)

Khadar Daahir
 Introduction to GIS

What is remote sensing

• Maximal Definition: “remote sensing is
the art and science of obtaining
information about an object without being
in direct physical contact with the object”
(Jensen, 2000)
 Introduction to GIS

What is remote sensing

•Minimalist definition: “remote sensing is the
noncontact recording of information from the
ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and microwave
regions of the electromagnetic spectrum by
means of instruments such as cameras,
scanners, lasers, linear arrays, and/or area arrays
located on platforms such as aircraft or
spacecraft, and the analysis of acquired
information by means of visual and digital
image processing.” (Jensen, 2000)
 Introduction to GIS

What is remote sensing

• Key components of remote sensing
– Data collection
• The instrument (Sensor): Recording information
of electromagnetic energy from an object or area
• Noncontact: View from space by locating sensors
on aircrafts or spacecrafts

– Data analysis: Visual and digital image

processing
 Introduction to GIS

Why remote sensing

• Remotely sensed imagery is the original source
for most of the GIS data we use.
• Local and global coverage: Global monitoring is
possible from nearly any site on earth.
• Repetitive coverage (time series): Look at
changes in the environment.
• Sensors can measure energy at wavelengths which
are beyond the range of human vision (ultra-violet,
infrared, microwave).
 Introduction to GIS

Some Applications
• Planning and transportation
– Road updates
– Infrastructure monitoring
– Growth monitoring

Source: Halcon
 Introduction to GIS

Some Applications
• Natural resource mapping
– Urban Lawns
Clubroot disease

– Lawn conditions
– Crop conditions
– Yield estimation
Source: NGIC
 Introduction to GIS

Some Applications
•Natural resource mapping
•Land use change
analysis
•Habitat and natural
communities mapping

Source: TRIC
 Introduction to GIS

Some Applications
• Environment monitoring: Algae bloom

©2007 Austin Troy

 Introduction to GIS

Remote sensing software

Remote sensing data are processed and
analyzed with computer software, known
as a remote sensing application. A large
number of proprietary and open source
applications exist to process remote
sensing data. Remote sensing software
packages include:
 Introduction to GIS

Remote sensing software

• ENVI/IDL from Exelis Visual Information Solutions,
• ERDAS IMAGINE from Hexagon Geospatial
(Separated from Intergraph SG&I)
• IDRISI from Clark Labs
• TNTmips from MicroImages
• TacitView from 2d3
 Introduction to GIS

The Physics of RS
• Remote sensing data are collected in the electro-
magnetic radiation (EMR) spectrum, principally
the visible, infra-red and radio regions
– Passive RS systems collect data on energy that is
reflected or emitted from the earth; most systems are
passive
– Active RS systems: such as lasers and radars that emit
their own EMR

• Most RS systems record reflectance in multiple

wavelengths spectrums
Introduction to GIS

Passive vs. Active

Source: http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Intro/
 Introduction to GIS

Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)

• Energy from the sun travels to Earth through space as electric
and magnetic waves, or electromagnetic radiation(EMR)
• EMR exists across a range of wavelengths, referring to
distance between two peaks

Source: http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Intro/Part2_2.html
 Introduction to GIS

Electromagnetic Spectrum
• The range of electromagnetic radiation, extending
from Gamma ray to radio waves, is known as the
electromagnetic spectrum (EMS)

Only 2% of EMS

Source: http://www.sci-ctr.edu.sg/ssc/publication/remotesense/em.htm
 Introduction to GIS

Energy Interactions with Terrain

• Light can
either be
reflected,
absorbed or
transmitted.
• Most sensors
record the
reflected light.

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov
 Introduction to GIS

The Physics of RS
• RS sensors’
ability to sense in
these non-visible
wavelengths allow
us to visualize
things we normally
could not perceive
with the human
eye, like water
temperature

Source :Lillesand and Kiefer 2000

 Introduction to GIS

The Physics of RS
•Here’s one
showing suspended
sediment in San
Francisco Bay

Source :USGS ©2007 Austin Troy

 Introduction to GIS

Light Interactions with the Atmosphere

• Affecting incoming
and outgoing EMR
through scattering,
refraction, and
absorption: modify
the direction and
penetration of EMR
as it passes through
the atmosphere

©2007 Austin Troy

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov
 Introduction to GIS

Light Interactions with the Atmosphere

• Scattering, refraction, and absorption: modify
the direction and penetration of EMR as it passes
through the atmosphere
– Scattering: degrades the image in shorter wavelengths,
particularly the ultraviolet and blue
– Refraction: change the direction and speed of light
(predictable)
– Absorption: radiation energy is absorbed and
converted into other forms of energy.

©2007 Austin Troy

 Introduction to GIS

Light Interactions with the Atmosphere

• Many wavelengths are also absorbed by gases in the
atmosphere, including CO2 and O3

Source :Lillesand and Kiefer 2000

 Introduction to GIS

So, what are RS data?

• RS imagery is raster data.

• Each pixel has a geographic
coordinate and reflectance/intensity
value, or digital number (DN).
 Introduction to GIS

Display of RS data
• Grayscale image: One band, with each pixel
represented by a grayscale value
• Multispectral Display
– Combining 3 bands, assigned to the three color
channels (red, green, blue).
• True color composite: Colors in the image roughly
correspond with the colors in the real world
• False color composite: Showing colors that don’t really exist
in that location.
• Key: Showing best contrast between feature classes that may
be indistinguishable to the human eye.
 Introduction to GIS

Multispectral Display
Band Composite Output =

Color Guns =

Band Combination = 7 4 2 (LANDSAT)

BLUE GREEN RED NEAR IR SHORT MID- LONGWAVE IR

BLUE GREEN RED WAVE IR WAVE IR

Landsat TM Band 1 2 3 4 5 7 6

Source: Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne

 Introduction to GIS

Display of Single Band

• Three bands, green, red and near infra-red displayed
separately as grayscale

Near-
infra red

green

red

©2007 Austin Troy

 Introduction to GIS

Display of Multispectral Image

• True color composite (Natural color composite)
Bands Applied to color Resulting Image

Red

Green

Blue
 Introduction to GIS

Display of Multispectral Image

• False color composite
Bands Applied to color Resulting Image

Near
Infrared

Red

Green
 Introduction to GIS

Multispectral Display
• Assign bands to channels in the Layer Properties
interface

Grayscale

Composite
 Remote Sensing
• Taking images from above to analyze Earth.
Colors in satellite images represent data
about the Earth. The amount of reflected
light represented by different colors tells us
what we are looking at!
• Video
http://igett.delmar.edu/Dropbox/onion_skin_remi
x_Copy.mp4
Landsat 7, Path 35 Row 34, 09.12.00

True color
Near-infrared composite
Another infrared composite
Another infrared composite