Basic of Remote Sensing

Contents

• What is Remote Sensing?
• Need for Remote Sensing?
• Who uses Remote Sensing and Why?

Remote Sensing: 

The art & science of 

• acquiring,
• processing, and
• interpreting

information (images and related data) about the Earth’s surface without actually being in physical contact between the object and sensor.

This is done by sensing & recording reflected or emitted energy and processing, analyzing and applying that information.

The images and related data are obtained from ground-based, air-or space-borne instruments that record the interaction between matter (target) and electromagnetic radiation.

"remotely" means using instruments (sensors) carried by platforms.

Need For Remote Sensing

• Systematic data collection;
• Global coverage;
• Repeatability;
• Inaccessible areas – sometimes the only solution;
• Multi-purpose information

Who Uses Remote Sensing & Why

The geographer who looks for changes in the Earth’s surface that need to be mapped;

The forester, who needs information about what type of trees are growing and if they have been affected by disease or fire;

The environmentalist, who wants to detect, identify and follow the movement of pollutants such as oil slicks on the oceans;

The geologist, who is interested in finding valuable minerals;

The farmer, who wants to keep an eye on how his crops are growing and if they have been affected by drought, floods, diseases or pests;

The firefighter, who sends out crews based on information about the size and movement of a forest fire;

The urban-planner, who wants to map and monitor LULC, morphology (the study of the form of human settlements and the process of their formation and transformation) etc.;