Satellite Remote Sensing Sensors: Principles and Applications

Abstract

Remote sensing (RS) refers to the science of identification of Earth surface features and estimation of their geo-biophysical properties using electromagnetic radiation as a medium of interaction. Satellite remote sensing, with its synoptic view of the Earth’s features, regular repetitive coverage over large areas, and digital mode of data capture, offers an effective means of mapping, monitoring, and management of land resources and environmental impacts near real time, providing a historical profile for monitoring the Earth’s features. Satellite sensors record information about the Earth’s surface by measuring the transmission of energy from the surface in different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). The optical remote sensing devices operate in the visible, near-infrared, middle-infrared, and shortwave infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. These devices are sensitive to the wavelengths ranging from 300 nm to 3000 nm. The sensors, which operate in thermal range of electromagnetic spectrum, record the energy emitted from the Earth features in the wavelength ranges of 3000–5000 nm and 8000 nm to 14,000 nm. A microwave remote sensor records the backscattered microwaves in the wavelength range of 1 mm–1 m of electromagnetic spectrum. A wide variety of satellite remote sensing data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Landsat, IRS-IC, IRS-ID, IRS-P6, Cartosat-1, Cartosat-2, QuickBird, and Google are available to the Earth scientists for generation of spatial database on natural resources for various applications. Analysis of multiple-date satellite imagery provides information in mapping, monitoring, and management of land resources on periodical basis.