Thermal Remote Sensing

Question 1

Sources of shortwave Radiation

Answer 1

The sun
Reflections of EMR off the Earth

Question 2

Sources of Longwave Radiation

Answer 2

Emission off the Earth

Question 3

Relationship between longwave and shortwave

Answer 3

Blackbody Radiation Curves
Higher temp = shorter wavelength

Question 4

Thermal Radiation definiton

Answer 4

Heat
Kinetic energy within an object due to random motion of particles then converted to EMR
Generally long wave

Question 5

Temperature definiton

Answer 5

The measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance
higher temp = higher velocity

Question 6

Thermal specrum

Answer 6

3 - 14 um

Question 7

Lowest temp on record

Answer 7

-89.2 c in Antartica

Question 8

Highest temp on record

Answer 8

56.7 c in Death Valley CA

Question 9

Why do TIR bands have lower spatial res than visible bands

Answer 9

Q = (hc)/v
Longer wavelengths have lower energy, they dont travel as far
TIR sensors have bigger IFOV to reliable catch enough energy

Question 10

Air temp vs Surface temp in RS

Answer 10

RS measures surface temperature while weather stations measure air temp

Question 11

Finding Temp with RS

Answer 11

Convert DNs to Top of Atmos (TOA) radiance
Convert TOA radiance to brightness temperature
Calculate emissivity
Calculate Land Surface Temperature (LST)

Question 12

Emissivity definition

Answer 12

A surface materials effectiveness in emitting energy as thermal radiation
measured 0 to 1
Opposite Albedo

Question 13

Types of Urban Heat Island effects

Answer 13

Surface Layer UHI
Canopy Layer
Surface
Boundary

Question 14

Blackbody emissivity and problem

Answer 14

e=1
This is a theoretical entity, nothing we know of absorbs all EMR (except maybe the sun)

Question 15

Graybodies

Answer 15

real objects that radiate less thermal energy than a blackbody

Question 16

Urbanization definiton

Answer 16

population increase in proportion of people living in urban areas

Question 17

Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC)

Answer 17

general term for the human modification of the Earth’s surface

Question 18

Impacts of Urbanization on Urban Climate

Answer 18

Increased air and surface temp
Increased surface run off
Decreased biodiversity
Downgraded air quality

Question 19

Urban Heat Island Effect definiton

Answer 19

Urban areas have higher temperature in comparison to surrounding rural areas

Question 20

Consequences of UHI effect

Answer 20

Increased energy and water consumption
Compromised human health and comfort
Downgraded air quality
Increased duration and magnitude of heat waves

Question 21

Boundary Layer UHI

Answer 21

Lowest part of the atmos
100 - 2000m above surface
Measured by weather baloons

Question 22

Surface layer UHI

Answer 22

Highest altitude of all the buildings and structures within a city
Measured by rooftop station or eddy-covariance flux tower

Question 23

Canopy layer UHI

Answer 23

Layer of air beneath the mean height of the buildings and trees
measured by weather stations 2m above ground

Question 24

Surface UHI

Answer 24

Remotely Sensed
Land Surface Temperature (LST)