UNIT-2

ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY
 What is Electromagnetic Energy?

 Electromagnetic energy is a form of energy that can be reflected or emitted from objects through electrical
or magnetic waves traveling through space.
 Electromagnetic energy comes in many examples including gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet radiation,
visible light, microwaves, radio waves and infrared radiation.
 Electromagnetic Spectrum

 The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation and

their respective wavelengths and photon energies.
 The electromagnetic spectrum covers electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from
below one hertz to above 1025 hertz, corresponding to wavelengths from thousands
of kilometres down to a fraction of the size of an atomic nucleus.
 This frequency range is divided into separate bands, and the electromagnetic waves within
each frequency band are called by different names.
 Beginning at the low frequency (long wavelength) end of the spectrum these are: radio
waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays at the high-
frequency (short wavelength) end.
 The electromagnetic waves in each of these bands have different characteristics, such as how
they are produced, how they interact with matter, and their practical applications.
 EMR interaction with Atmosphere

 Electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) or energy interactions with atmosphere and with the earth surface
play a vital role in remote sensing.
 Irrespective of its source, all radiation detected by remote sensors passes through some distance, or path
length, of atmosphere.
 The path length involved can vary widely.
 While EMR interacts with the atmosphere of earth following processes takes place:
 A) Scattering
 B) Absorption
 Scattering

 Atmospheric scattering is unpredictable diffusion of radiation by particles in the atmosphere. 

 TYPES OF SCATTERING:
a) Rayleigh Scattering
b) Mie Scattering
c) Non-Selective Scattering
 Rayleigh Scattering

 Rayleigh Scattering occurs when radiation

interacts with atmospheric molecules and other
tiny particles that are much smaller in diameter
than the wave length of interacting radiation.
 It redirects the radiation about equal in all
direction.
 It is responsible for blue skies.
 Mie Scattering

 Occurs when the diameter of atmospheric

atoms equals to the wavelength of sensed
energy.
 Water vapour and dust particles are the
main reasons.
 Non-selective Scattering

 Occurs when the diameter of the particles causing scatter are much larger than the energy wavelength
being sensed.
 Water droplets for example.
 Fog and clouds appear white due to this type of scattering.
 Absorption
 Atmospheric absorption results in the effective loss of energy to the atmospheric constituents.
 Most efficient absorbers of solar radiation: Water vapour, Carbon-di-oxide & Ozone.
 Atmospheric windows

 An atmospheric window is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be transmitted
through the atmosphere.
 The atmospheric window applies to wavelengths of light at which electromagnetic radiation from the sun
will penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere.  
 Spectral Response Pattern

 The magnitude of energy that an object

reflects or emits across a range of
wavelengths is called its spectral
response pattern.
 Spectral response patterns are
sometimes called spectral signatures.
 https://www.slideshare.net/SumantDiwakar/interaction-of-emr-with-atmosphere-and-earth-surface
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