LECTURE 6

REMOTE SENSING
PROJECT PRESENTATION
 HISTORY
 ORIGIN COUNTRY

 SPATIAL RESOLUTION
 SPECTRAL RESOLUTION
 TEMPORAL RESOLUTION
 RADIOMETRIC RESOLUTION
 ACTIVE OR PASSIVE SENSOR?
 APPLICATION USING IMAGERY
 EXAMPLE OF IMAGERY
TYPE OF SATELLITE
 LANDSAT 8 OLI
 SENTINEL MSI 2A 2B, 3A, 3B
 WORLDVIEW 3
 Pleiades
 SPOT 7
 QUICKBIRD
 IKONOS
 NOAA
 MODIS
 RADARSAT
 SEASAT
Remote sensing systems (in respect to
the type of energy resources)
• A remote sensing
system that provides
its own source of
Active energy and records
the energy reflected
or refracted back to
Types of the sensor
sensor
• A sensing system
that detects or
Passive measures radiation
emitted by the
target
  Active sensor  Passive Sensor

The
viewing
platforms:
• airplanes
• satellites.

Active sensors generate their Passive sensors receive

own electromagnetic naturally transmitted
radiation electromagnetic waves
→ transmitted from the sensor from the viewed object.
to the observed object and
back to the sensor.
Radar commonly provides a
very different view of the
same landscape compared
with a visible image

SIR-A radar Landsat

Space Radar Image of Saline Valley,
California -SW looking view.

Field view of Saline

Valley 
 Remote sensing systems
(in respect to wavelength regions)
Remote Sensing is classified into three types
in respect to the wavelength regions:
Visible & Reflective Infrared Remote Sensing
Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing
Microwave Remote Sensing
Near Thermal
Visible Mid-IR
IR IR
B G R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
 Multilayer Image

Several types of measurement may be made from the ground area

covered by a single pixel.
Each type of measurement forms an image which carry some specific
information about the area.
By "stacking" these images from the same area together, a multilayer
image is formed.
Each component image is a layer in the multilayer image.
Multilayer images can also be formed by combining images obtained
from different sensors, and other subsidiary data. For example:

3 layers A layer MUL

of ERS A layer
from a TIPL
syntheti of
SPOT
multisp
c digital E
aperture elevati
ectral radar
IMA
image on map
image GE
 Multispectral Image
A multispectral image consists of a few image layers, each layer
represents an image acquired at a particular wavelength band.
Multispectral
Properties
Sensors
7 bands: = blue, green and red
= near-IR bands
Landsat TM = two SWIR bands
= a thermal IR band

3 bands = green, red

SPOT-HRV = NIR bands.

A single SPOT • 3 intensity images in the three wavelength bands.

• Each pixel of the scene has 3 intensity values
multispectral scene
corresponding to the 3 bands
4 bands = blue, green, red
IKONOS = NIR
 Hyperspectral Image

A hyperspectral
hyperspectralimage
imageconsists
consists
of of about
about a hundred
a hundred or or
morecontiguous
more contiguousspectral
spectral bands.
bands.
The characteristic
characteristicspectrum
spectrum ofof
thethe target
target pixel
pixel is is
acquired
acquiredininaahyperspectral image.
hyperspectral image.
The precisespectral
The precise spectralinformation
information contained
contained in ain a
hyperspectral
hyperspectralimage
image enables bettercharacterization
enables better characterization and
and identification
identification of targets.
of targets.
Currently, hyperspectral imagery is not
NASA's Hyperion
commercially available from satellites.
sensor on-board the
There are experimental satellite- EO1 satellite
sensors that acquire hyperspectral
imagery for scientific investigation. CHRIS sensor
Eg: onboard ESA's
 Applications of hyperspectral

Monitoring the crop:

• types
• health
• moisture status
• maturity
Potential
applications
Monitoring:
• phytoplankton's
• pollution,
• bathymetry changes
An illustration of a multilayer image consisting of
five component layers.
 The hyperspectral image
1 data usually consists of
over a hundred
contiguous spectral bands

That formed a three-

2 dimensional image
-two spatial dimensions
and one spectral dimension
image cube

3 Each pixel is
associated with a
complete spectrum of
An illustration of a the imaged area
hyperspectral image
4 The high spectral
resolution of hyperspectral
images enables better
identification of the land
covers.
Satellite Resolutions
 Characterization of Satellite Remote Sensing
Systems
 The most common characterization of different
satellite remote sensing (RS) systems results from
the systems diverse spatial, temporal and spectral
resolutions.
Types of Resolution

Distance on the ground

that corresponds to a
single pixel..
Frequency with which an
image of a specific area or
object can be acquired.
Wavelength intervals to
which the sensor can
detect.
Number of data file
values associated with a
pixel for each band of
data detected.
 Spatial resolution

The spatial resolution specifies the pixel size of satellite images

covering the earth surface.
The spatial resolution is the smallest unit of an image and is
measured by a pixel (picture element).
A spatial resolution of 10 m means that an individual pixel
represents an area on the ground of 10 m by 10 m.
Thus any objects which are smaller than 10 m will not be
distinguishable in the image.

Applications

High spatial resolution Low spatial resolution

(0.41 - 4 m) (30 - > 1000 m)
1
2
3
4

5
 IKONOS true-colour
image was obtained by
merging a 4-m multispectral

 
image with a 1-m
panchromatic image.
At this resolution,
individual trees, vehicles,
details of buildings,
shadows and roads can be
seen.
The image covers an area
of about 400 m×400 m.
                                                           
A full scene image has a
coverage area of about
10 km×10 km.
                
                          
             
                          

10 m resolution, 10 m 30 m resolution, 10 m 80 m resolution, 10 m

pixel size pixel size pixel size

 Cover small
scale of area
 Cover large  Detect more
scale of area details
 Detect  individual
roughly object objects can
be seen
                                                  

Pixel Size = 10 m Pixel Size = 20 m

Image Width = 160 pixels, Height = 160 pixels Image Width = 80 pixels, Height = 80 pixels

                                                 

Pixel Size = 40 m Pixel Size = 80 m

Image Width = 40 pixels, Height = 40 pixels Image Width = 20 pixels, Height = 20 pixels
 Temporal
 The temporal resolution specifies the revisiting
frequency of a satellite sensor for a specific
location.
 High temporal resolution: < 24 hours - 3 days
Medium temporal resolution: 4 - 16 days
Low temporal resolution: > 16 days
To date one of the problems associated with satellite imagery
has been the temporal resolution.
In farming systems where there is constant change during a
growing season the time between satellite revisits has not been
frequent enough for crop monitoring.
Airborne systems have offered greater flexibility when
scheduling flyovers, their limiting factor being local weather
conditions.
 Spectral
 In the first instance, a sensor's spectral resolution
specifies the number of spectral bands in which the
sensor can collect reflected radiance.
 But the number of bands is not the only important
aspect of spectral resolution. The position of bands
in the electromagnetic spectrum is important, too.
 High spectral resolution: - 220 bands
Medium spectral resolution: 3 - 15 bands
Low spectral resolution: - 3 band
Sensors which can discriminate fine spectral differences are
said to have a high spectral resolution.
For example a sensor which can measure over a 0.05 µm
interval such as many hyperspectral systems has a fine
spectral resolution.
Detecting over a broad wavelength band of the
electromagnetic spectrum such as a 35 mm camera using
color film, has a coarse spectral resolution as the film records
the entire visible spectrum.
Spectral resolution in detecting atmosphere, soil, water and vegetation
 Radiometric resolution

When describing a camera or sensor this is referred to as

the number of bits into which the recorded data can be
divided.
In a 12 bit panchromatic camera system for example, the
pixel values may range from 0 (corresponding to black)
where there was no electromagnetic radiation recorded to a
maximum intensity or brightness value (corresponding to
white) of 4096
Radiometric resolution determines how fine the sensor can
distinguish between objects of similar reflection. Eg:

Low radiometric resolution High radiometric resolution

High radiometric
resolution
→ The picture on right
provide better image
                                                  

8-bit quantization (256 levels) 6-bit quantization (64 levels)

                                                 

4-bit quantization (16 levels) 3-bit quantization (8 levels)

                                                 

2-bit quantization (4 levels) 1-bit quantization (2 levels)

 Satellite Imaging Systems

First Generation
(Multi-spectral)
IRS series
Landsat (Indian
Remote
NOAA-AVHRR Sensing)
(National Oceanic SPOT
Atmospheric & (Système
Administration– Probatoire
Advanced Very High d’Observation de
Resolution la Terre)
Radiometer
 Satellite Imaging Systems

3
Landsat MSS
First launched in 1973
Multi Spectral Scanner
(MSS)
4 bands
Green, Red, NIR 2)
80m ground resolution
185 km swath
First Series
Landsats 1, 2 and 3
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Landsat TM
Landsat 4 launched 1983,
Landsat 5 1984
Upgraded instrument –
Landsat Thematic Mapper
(TM)
Seven bands
Blue, Green, Red, NIR,
SWIR x 2, TIR
30m ground resolution
185Km swath
Landsat 7 launched 1999
Additional 15m panchromatic
Principle applications for Landsat
 LANDSAT 8 OLI

 Landsat 8 carries two push-broom instruments: The Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the 
Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS).
 The spectral bands of the OLI sensor provides enhancement from prior Landsat instruments, with the addition of
two additional spectral bands: a deep blue visible channel (band 1) specifically designed for water resources and
coastal zone investigation, and a new shortwave infrared channel (band 9) for the detection of cirrus clouds.*
 The TIRS instrument collects two spectral bands for the wavelength covered by a single band on the previous
TM and ETM+ sensors. 
 These sensors both provide improved signal-to-noise (SNR) radiometric performance quantized over a 12-bit
dynamic range. (This translates into 4096 potential grey levels in an image compared with only 256 grey levels
in previous 8-bit instruments.) Improved signal to noise performance enable better characterization of land cover
state and condition. Products are delivered as 16-bit images (scaled to 55,000 grey levels).
 A Quality Assessment band is also included with each Landsat 8 data product. This band allows users to apply
per pixel filters to the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)-only and Landsat 8 OLI/Thermal Infrared
Sensor (OLI/TIRS)-combined data products.
 Sensors on LANDSAT

Near Thermal
Visible Mid-IR
IR IR
MSS B G R
80 m resolution
1 2 3 4

Near Thermal
Visible Mid-IR
TM
IR IR
B G R
30 m resolution
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
 Satellite Imaging Systems

SPOT (Système Probatoire

d’Observation de la Terre)

French satellite launched in

1986
Two modes of operation
Off nadir look capability
Stereo capability
 Satellite Imaging Systems

SPOT
Multi-spectral mode
MS - 3 bands
Green, Red, NIR
Twenty meters
resolution
Satellite Imaging Systems

SPOT
PAN - 1 band at 10m resolution
Now modified to 2m resolution
SPOT 4/5 Vegetation
 Satellite Imaging Systems
IRS SATELLITES IRS 1C
 IRS 1A
4 bands
 4 bands 25 to 70m resolution
 72m resolution 141 Km swath
 148 Km swath Launched 1996
 Launched in 1988
Also PAN
5m resolution
 IRS 1B
70 Km swath
 36m resolution WIFS -
 Launched 1991 1 band at 188m res.
774 Km swath
 Satellite Imaging systems

Second
Generatio
n (High
resolution
)

Commer
cial
Satellite
s

Quick Iko
Bird nos

Orb
View
 Satellite Imaging Systems

New Commercial Satellites Space Imaging

Ikonos spacecraft, Carterra instrument

Launched in September 1999.

4 bands B/G/R/NIR at 5m
Panchromatic at 1m
 Satellite Imaging Systems

New Commercial
Satellites
Space Imaging
Carterra Instrument
Multispectral
4 bands
4m resolution
Panchromatic
one meter resolution
Satellite Imaging Systems

New Commercial Satellites

Space Imaging
Quickbird spacecraft
Launched in October 2001.
Colour at 2.4m
Panchromatic at 0.6m
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environme
ntal
Satellites
(First
Generation)

NOAA-
AVHR
R

RES
URS
 Satellite Imaging Systems

NOAA-AVHRR

A weather satellite series

Launched in 1978
5 bands, 1.1Km resolution
2700 km swath
Cheap satellite for global or
continental scale monitoring
Satellite Imaging Systems
NOAA-AVHRR
Ocean Temperature Mapping
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
RESURS

Russian satellite marketed by

Sweden
Five bands, vis-NIR
150m resolution
600 km swath
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environme
ntal
Satellites
(Second
Generation)

TOPEX
/
Posidon

SeaW
IFS
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
TOPEX/Posidon

French/USA
oceanographic satellite
Radar altimeter
Measures wave height
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
SeaWIFS

Oceanographic colour
image
History - CZCS, MOS-1
8 bands in vis-NIR
Chlorophyll concentration
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environme
ntal
Satellites
(Third
Generation)

EOS -
Modis

Env
isat
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental
Satellites
Third
Generation
(EOS – Earth
Observation
System

Tera

Aqu
a
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental
Satellites
Envisat

Launched March 2002

MERIS 15 band imager
Imaging RADAR
 Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental
Satellites
Envisat
Satellite Imaging Systems

Radar
Satellites

SEASA
JERS-1
T

Radarsa SIR
t series

ERS
series
Imaging Systems (Airborne Systems)

Advantages Disadvantages

Flexible Timetable
Cost

Resolution determined by
altitude

Operational complexity
Large number of bands available
 References

DIGITAL REMOTE SENSING

• FURTHER READING :
- Lillesand, Kiefer and Chipman (2004)