Remote Sensing
What can we do with it?
The early years
Yellowstone Fires 1988, Recorded 7/2001
How it worksHow it works
Incoming solar energy
Reflecting surfacesScatter, absorb,and reflect light
Electromagnetic EnergyElectromagnetic Energyand surface reflectanceand surface reflectance
Spectral ReflectanceSpectral Reflectance
Progression of common satellitesProgression of common satellitesMSS spatial scale 20m, TM 30mMSS spatial scale 20m, TM 30m
Satellite SensorsSatellite SensorsSatelliteSatellite Spatial ResolutionSpatial Resolution Spectral ResolutionSpectral ResolutionQuickBirdQuickBird 1-4meters1-4meters .45-.90µm.45-.90µmIkonos1&2Ikonos1&2 1-4meters1-4meters .45-.90µm.45-.90µm
SPOTSPOT HR-XSHR-XS 10-20meters10-20meters .51-1.75µm.51-1.75µm
LANDSAT TM 7LANDSAT TM 7 (1)(1) 15m15m .45-.515µm.45-.515µm(2,3,4,5,7) 30m(2,3,4,5,7) 30m .525–2.35µm.525–2.35µm(6)(6) 60m60m 2.09-2.35µm2.09-2.35µm
AVRISAVRIS 20m20m 224 bands224 bands
Sun Synchronous Orbital Flight Row and Path
TM 30 meter multi-spectral imagery
Keweenaw Peninsula, bands 2, 3 and 4 provide a color composite
Summer AVHRR CompositeSummer AVHRR Composite Spatial Scale 1kmSpatial Scale 1km
New Technologies
AVRIS Spectra
AVRIS Hyperspectral Cube
Airborne Visible/Infrared Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Imaging Spectrometer
224 spectral channels 224 spectral channels
400 – 2500 nm spectral 400 – 2500 nm spectral resolution, resolution,
20 meter ground 20 meter ground resolution.resolution.
Brine Shrimp pondBrine Shrimp pond
LidarLight Detection and Ranging
Visible portion of spectrumExcellent opportunities for vertical dimensions not for horizontal
Data from Lefsky et al