Remote Sensing Flashcards
What is Remote Sensing?
Identifying the characteristics of an object of interest without direct contact.
What are the main components of RS? (7)
- Energy source/ illumination
- Radiation and the atmosphere
- Interaction with the target
- Recording of energy by the sensor
- Transmission, reception and processing
- Interpretation and analysis
- Application
What are the 4 main platforms in RS? Give examples.
- Ground platform - metal detectors
- Airborne platform - aerial photography, drones (DEM)
- Space platform - satellites (GPS, GNSS)
- Outer-space platform - outer-space observation and studies (JWT, Hubble)
What are the regions of the EM spectrum associated with RS?
- Visible
- Reflective IR
- Thermal IR
- Microwave
What is a sensor?
A device that is able to detect EM radiation emitted or reflected from an object.
Define active vs passive sensors
Active sensors - emit energy and detected the reflected/ scattered energy signal (LiDAR, Radar)
Passive sensors - do not emit their own energy, but detects naturally emitted/ reflected energy. (sunlight, thermal energy)
What is Radar?
Radio Detection and Ranging
- Transmit energy at a known frequency and listens and measures the echo
What is LiDAR?
Light Detection and Ranging
- best source for DEM
What are the 4 types of resolutions in RS?
- Spectral resolution - part of the EM spectrum that is measured.
- Spatial resolution - the smallest unit area measured
- Temporal resolution - the time between two successive image captures of the same area
- Radiometric resolution - the smallest difference in energy that can be measured.
What is a sun-synchronized orbit? Give uses (3)
Type of orbit that is synchronized with the Sun’s position relative to Earth.
1. Earth observation
2. Climates monitoring
3. Cartography
What is a geo-stationary orbit? Give uses (3)
Type of orbit that has an orbital period matching Earth’s rotation.
1. Telecommunication
2. Weather monitoring
3. Military and defense
