GEO 420 Dr. Garver

What is remote sensing What is it used for History

remote sensing (v) the science of deriving information about the earth's land, atmosphere and water areas from images acquired at a distance. Relies on measurement of electromagnetic energy reflected or emitted from the features of interest.

 1950s - term coined by Evelyn Pruitt  Geographer/oceanographer with U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR).  Term was devised to take into account the new views from space obtained by the early meteorological satellites which were more "remote" from their targets than the airplanes that up until then provided aerial photos as the medium for recording images of the Earth's surface.

Main Entry: syn·op·tic Function: adjective Etymology: Greek synoptikos, from synopsesthai 1 : affording a general view of a whole 2 : manifesting or characterized by comprehensiveness or breadth of view 3 : relating to or displaying conditions (as of the atmosphere or weather) as they exist simultaneously over a broad area

Tornadoes - F-5 - largest and most powerful classification - winds 300 m/h. TGOES-East weather satellite produces images of most of U. S. every 30 min. in vis and IR wavelengths.

Pronunciation: "re-z&-'lü-sh&n” Function: noun the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object, closely adjacent optical images, or sources of light. the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out.

Unique view of our planet. Remote sensing allows us to examine, in unprecedented detail, characteristics of our atmosphere, oceans, and land areas. Use sensors to view the spectral and spatial relations of objects at a distance.

CZCS

The term "photography" is derived from two Greek words meaning "light" (phos) and "writing" (graphien). No one knows when humans first constructed a device that would record images by means of light

The First Photograph first photograph obtained by Joseph Nicephore Niepce of his French estate courtyard in Exposure lasted 8 hours. first photograph obtained by Joseph Nicephore Niepce of his French estate courtyard in Exposure lasted 8 hours. Put sheets of silver salts at back of camera obscura, known to blacken with daylight. Called these images “retinas“.

First known aerial photograph was obtained by Gaspard Felix Tournachon (Nadar) from a tethered balloon 1,700-ft. above Paris, France in Took first photographs in 1853 and in 1858 became the first person to take aerial photographs First known aerial photograph was obtained by Gaspard Felix Tournachon (Nadar) from a tethered balloon 1,700-ft. above Paris, France in Took first photographs in 1853 and in 1858 became the first person to take aerial photographs 1850s- balloonists took pictures of ground using newly invented photo- camera.

Oblique photograph obtained from the Hippodrome Balloon using a multiband camera. Also pioneered the use of artificial lighting in photography, working in the catacombs of Paris. Oblique photograph obtained from the Hippodrome Balloon using a multiband camera. Also pioneered the use of artificial lighting in photography, working in the catacombs of Paris.

Served as a prime remote sensor for more than 150 years. Captures image of targets exterior to it by concentrating electromagnetic (EM) radiation (visible light) through a lens onto a recording medium. Key advance occurred in development of photographic negative. Silver halide film remains the prime recording medium today. Film displays objects by variations in brightness of gray levels (black and white) or color tones.

Late 1800s – Early 1900s Pigeon fleet used to carry cameras

Photograph of a castle taken automatically by a camera strapped on a pigeon in flight

Aerial photography - reconnaissance tool in WW I and II

Remote sensors in space began with photo-camera systems on captured German rockets. Power and capability of launch vehicles big factor in determining what remote sensors could be placed as part of the payload. Dawn of the Space Age – R. S. above the atmosphere (both Russian and American).

Soviet Union launched Sputnik I World's first artificial satellite Size of a basketball, 183 pounds Ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. Start of the space age and U.S.-U.S.S.R space race.

First ever U.S. satellite in Earth orbit designed to image and monitor weather. TIROS-1, launched April, 1960 soon after NASA came into existence. Image is considered the official start of remote sensing from satellites.

First cosmonauts/astronauts used hand-held cameras. 1960’s - Black and white TV-like images of Earth from meteorological satellites.

First non-photo sensors were television cameras mounted on unmanned spacecraft to look at clouds. TIROS-1 Superimposed on cloud patterns is a generalized weather map; this kind of data display soon started to appear in television news broadcasts.

First American in Space?

1970's – matured - repetitive schedule instruments on Skylab ( then Space Shuttle) Landsat - first satellite dedicated to mapping natural and cultural resources on land and ocean surfaces.

Set stage for other satellite systems Demonstrated power & versatility of multispectral imagery* for observing Earth Monitors natural & human made features over time. Since 1972, six Landsats have been orbited successfully. *multispectral scanner-Scanner system that simultaneously acquires images of the same scene at different wavelengths.

Early Landsat image (Utah 1972)

radar imaging system main sensor on Seasat. First satellite designed for remote sensing of oceans with SAR. Mission - demonstrate feasibility of global satellite monitoring of oceans. Collect data on sea- surface, winds, SST, wave heights.

specialized sensors Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) Ocean color = biology Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Vegetation cover, SST Space shuttle (1982) - JPL's Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-A). Sea Surface Height

Main Entry: ra·di·om·e·ter Pronunciation: "rA-dE-'ä-m&-t&r Function: noun : an instrument for detecting and measuring the intensity of radiant energy; - ra·di·om·e·try /-m&-trE/ noun

CZCS image of Gulf Stream - April warm-core ring.

AVHRR - SST

1980s - Landsat privatized, widespread commercial use of remote sensing. Improved sensor - Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM; 30m resolution).

Improvement in detail of later Landsats owing to new sensor.

Mosaics - images of entire Earth or continents. Color view of continental U.S from summer AVHRR. Notice regionally variable distribution of vegetative cover (green).

Variety of sensors on land and sea satellites Launched by U.S. govt., private U.S. industry and other countries. Most observe in; Visible Near IR Thermal infrared Some radar

Land observers ‘72 – ‘96

Remote sensing has become major tool for monitoring earth/atmosphere system. BIG BUCKS SPENT on applications for environmental and natural resource management.

Huge improvements in; Computer-based image processing PC’s can handle large amounts of data Makes data accessible to universities, govt. agencies, environmental companies, and individuals.

Satellites ‘95 – ‘05 Note # of commercial satellites.

Spain and NW Africa – Feb. 13, Dust blowing off Sahara forms question mark over Atlantic Ocean west of Spain. Commercial Data- Orbimage SeaWiFS scene Near true color

reliable stream of image data that has become the standard for commercial high- resolution satellite data products. IKONOS produces 1-meter black-and-white (panchromatic) and 4-meter multispectral (red, blue, green, near infrared) imagery. Wide range of high-resolution imagery applications.

Before Sept. 11 IKONOS

After Sept. 11 IKONOS

1m res satellite image of Manhattan on Sept. 12, 2001 by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite. Shows an area of white and gray-colored dust and smoke at the location where the 1,350-foot towers of the WTC once stood.

IKONOS

Commercialization of space imagery is currently a huge deal in the remote sensing field. Emergence in 21 st Century of private, commercial satellite operations Rather than continued dependence on NASA/NOAA, space agencies in other countries, and the military to provide useful imagery.

But remote sensing operations are still in large part government-driven (U.S. and Intl). Huge need to monitoring terrestrial systems. observe, quantify, map changing land use, protect natural resources, track interactions within the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere