1. GEOG432/632: Remote Sensing

2. GEOG432/632: Remote sensing Fall 2016: UNBC students’ majors
Computer Science / Physics
Environmental Science
Geography
Northern Rural Community Planning

3. What is Remote sensing ?
Term 'remote sensing' first appeared in (Evelyn Pruitt, technician, U.S. Office of Naval Research) ?

4. "...the collection of information about a surface without direct contact (from a distance) "
= … the acquisition and manipulation of planetary images (or something like that …)

5. Why did RS appear in 1960 ? Advent of :
Satellites …e.g. Telstar (1962)
use of non-visible energy e.g. infra-red, RADAR
- extended beyond conventional aerial photography

6. Why is remote sensing (maybe) more ‘important’ than GIS. e. g
Why is remote sensing (maybe) more ‘important’ than GIS? e.g. in Canada ?

7. Why is remote sensing (maybe) more ‘important’ than GIS ?
Size and remoteness of Canada
Much (most?) vector data are outdated
Most GIS spatial data are from remote sensing
Images can be current / cross boundaries

8. Value of remote sensing:
Can cover large areas (Landsat = 180 x 180km)
Not limited by political boundaries
Current / recent (versus vector data)
Not generalised – shows it like it is ….
Especially useful for remote / dynamic areas
Especially suitable for Canada etc..

9. ASTER image, Chapman Glacier, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut

10. Rondônia, Brazil – 15th August 1991

11. Rondônia, Brazil - 6th August 2011

12. Landsat 8: Mt. Robson / Berg Lake, August 26, 2015

13. NTS
1995?
Checking vector information with imagery

14. 1985

15. 2007

16.
Mount Polley Dam Breach, central BC, August 2014

17. Geomatics Cartography GIS Remote sensing GPS Surveying
RASTER and VECTOR data:
For remote sensing, a digital image processing system (software) must be RASTER, but will also have vector capabilities; we use PCI Geomatica
VECTOR systems will have raster options, e.g. image display + ArcGIS / QGIS

18. Evaluation: see webpage http://gis.unbc.ca
References: webpages
Multiple textbooks available in library: G
Evaluation: see webpage
50% practical
30% project
10% lab quiz (take home)
10% environmental change exercise
50% written
30% exams (Oct 15, Dec 3)
10% website evaluation
10% article critique

20. Milestones in the History of Remote Sensing
19th century
1839 Invention of photography
use of balloons, kites and pigeons
oblique photos (mountain peaks)
Stereo photography -
See this webpage:

21. 20th century 1910s First use of aerial photography from planes
(World War I: photo interpretation)
1920s Development of photogrammetry for mapping
Military use of radar (World War II)
-> Main aerial photo programs in Canada and others
1950s Use of colour photography and infra-red
Term 'remote sensing' first appeared (Evelyn Pruit)
First reconnaissance satellites: Corona
First weather satellites: Tiros (1960); Nimbus (1964)
(and first digital data transfer)

22. Multispectral image processing: The Landsat Era
Launch of Landsat 1 satellite and the 80metre MultiSpectral Sensor (MSS)
Landsat 4: the 'next generation 30metre sensor': Thematic Mapper (TM) [and Landsat 5 in 1984]
1986 SPOT-1 satellite: 10 and 20metre data (France)

23. 1990s 1990s Other countries' satellites / sensors:
IRS: India (5 metre)
JERS: Japan
ERS: Europe
RESURS: USSR
1995 Radarsat- Canada's first remote sensing satellite
1999 Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM);
- Reduction of data cost
removal of data copyright - enabled online data libraries

24. New millennium events Many new sensors
2000 Terra satellite: ASTER and MODIS data
2000 High resolution private sector satellites:
Ikonos (2000) and Quickbird (2001)
Worldview launched (2007)- example: Birdnest
GeoEye (2008 – 25cm)
2002 SPOT 5: 2.5 or 5 metres panchromatic resolution
Online viewers
2005 Online image viewers- e.g. google earth
More free image data – what we use for labs
2009 Landsat image data archive goes online
2013: Landsat 8
2014: Sentinel 1
2015: Sentinel 2
2016: Sentinel 3

25. Links History of Remote Sensing Paul R. Baumann
Emeritus Professor of Geography
State University of New York
College at Oneonta
Great Page on History of Aerial Photography