Satellite Imagery and Remote Sensing

NC Climate FellowsJune 2012

DeeDee WhitakerSW Guilford HighEarth/Environmental Science & Chemistry

OutlineWhat is remote sensing?What role does the electromagnetic spectrum play in satellite imagery?

How does remote sensing work?

How can satellite imagery be applied to climate change?

Applicable NC Essential Standards

Earth Environmental Science-1.1.3, 1.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.2.1, 2.5.1, 2.5.2, 2.5.3, 2.6.3, 2.8.3

Biology-2.1.4, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 4.2.1

Physical Science- 3.2.1

Physics- 2.2

Middle School Science- 6.P.1, 6.P.3, 6.E.2, 6.L.2, 7.E.1, 8.P.2, 8.E.1, 8.E.2

Identifying, observing, and measuring an object without coming into direct contact with it (NASA)

What is remote sensing?

So many satellites and sensors

According to NASA-there are about 3000 satellites operating in Earth orbit in 2012.

US Satellite Orbits

Constellation

A

What role does the electromagnetic spectrum play in satellite imagery?

Visible Light

Differences Among Infrared Regions

Near IR- (0.7 - 1)microns 740- (3000-5200 K) Earth’s surface and above

Mid IR 5 to (25-40) microns (92.5-140) to 740 K only above the atmosphere

Far IR (25-40) to (200-350) microns (10.6-18.5) to (92.5-140) K only above the atmosphere

Satellite imagery is a special case of photography.

Radiation bands in the electromagnetic spectrum that are reflected from the Earth’s surface back into space can be collected by satellite sensors and stored digitally.

The most common electromagnetic bands used in satellite imagery are visible light, near infrared radiation (NIR), and infrared radiation (IR).

Satellite Imagery-Remote Sensing

Electromagnetic Spectrum and Satellite Sensors

Different types of earth viewing satellite sensors operate in different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.© DLR-DFD, 1996

http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/education/class/yuri/erb.html

Reflectance

http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=796762

Examples of Satellite ImageryNASA and Google Earth

Visible and Near IR Comparisons

What different types of information do IR and visible wavelengths supply?

Differences between ground IR

data, aerial data, and satellite data? Ease of data collection

Data extent, records

Spatial Resolution

Temporal Resolution

Spectral Resolution

Tradeoffs in Sensor Design

To increase the signal to noise ratio, we can :

Field of View Dwell time Width of spectral bands

How do these changes affect

the different resolutions?

Landsat 7 Program

Temporal: 16 days

Spectral: 4-8 bands

Spatial: 30 m http://

earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Landsat/

Land cover and land cover change

MODIS (on 2 satellites, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)Temporal: DailySpectral: 36 bandsSpatial: 250-1000 m http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about

Global land cover and ocean RS

Fire monitoring

IKONOS- commercial

Temporal: On DemandSpectral: 4 bands, panchromaticSpatial: 1-4 mLocal land cover http://www.satimagingcorp.com/

gallery-ikonos.html

JASON (Active)Temporal: 10 daysSpectral: NA (Active)Spatial: ~ 2 km http://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/satellite_missions/

list_of_satellites/jas2_general.html

Sea level

Sensor Platforms

Pigeons, Planes, and Satellites

Pigeons, planes, and satellites

How might scientists use IR data to study the earth’s surface?

Kohrs, Infrared Image

How can satellite imagery be applied to climate change?

Weather forecasting

Storm tracking Ocean

temperature monitoring Sea level changes Large scale land

mass changes

Aerial Photography Works on the same principles

as satellite imagery Altitude is less giving better

resolution and more details. Used for change analysis,

planning, natural resource management, and land use identification.

Student Activities Spectral Analysis-inquiry exploration Satellite Imagery-internet NC OneMap-data and imagery

http://www.nconemap.com/

National Map-data and imagery http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html

SummaryRemote sensing allows us to

observe and monitor the earth surface

Features on the ground can be

interpreted using spectral information

Satellites have wide range of purposes