A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO REMOTE SENSING

Abstract Summary: A brief overview of the fundamentals on remote sensing is provided in this essay.
The meaning of remote sensing in the sense of generality as well as in a more restricted sense, its advantages
and applicability to various fields are discussed. The importance of electromagnetic energy to remote sensing
and fundamentals of electromagnetic spectrum, including different types of wavelength bands and their
characteristics are also given. Moreover, types of remote sensors and the various kinds of platforms which can
be utilized for remote sensing, including few examples on sensor and platform types are presented. Finally, the
importance of selecting appropriate type of sensor-platform system for remote sensing depending on the spatiotemporal phenomena to be studied is discussed based on one of the image data characteristics known as
resolution
Keywords: Remote Sensing, Electromagnetic Energy, Sensor types, Platforms, Resolution

1. DEFINITION
Remote Sensing is generally known as perceiving objects or events at faraway places without
having close contact with them. In that sense, our visual system and cameras are two examples that
perform remote sensing all the time. However, in a more restricted sense, the science and technology
of acquiring information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact can be
referred as remote sensing (Fang, 2016). In current usage, remote sensing uses sensors onboard
airborne or space-borne platforms such as aircrafts, satellites and shuttles etc to gather information,
mostly on earths surface and atmosphere by means of propagated signals through electromagnetic
radiation.
Remote Sensing has vast applicability over numerous fields, including Earth Science disciplines
such as geography, oceanography, hydrology, geology, ecology, glaciology geology etc. and it also
has military, intelligence, planning, and humanitarian applications. At present, it is essential in Earth
Sciences as majority of earths surface and atmosphere are difficult to measure and sample in situ
condition. It also is a very reliable and consistent source of information as it can continuously gather
data from the surface being sensed. Furthermore, it provides a unique set of data on the object or
atmosphere being perceived since electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected from the object are
gathered as the means of information which depends on the characteristics of the surface or
atmosphere being sensed.
2. THE ROLE OF ELECTROMAGNATIC ENERGY AND SENSOR TYPES
Electromagnetic energy plays a pivotal role in remote sensing since it acts as the means of
information gathered from the object being observed. Electromagnetic energy is characterized by
electrical and magnetic fields which simultaneously propagate perpendicular to each other through
space in the form of sine waves. All matter with a certain temperature radiates electromagnetic
waves of various wavelengths () and the total range of the wavelengths is commonly referred to as
the electromagnetic spectrum (Figure 1). Remote sensors detect electromagnetic energy which is

emitted, scattered or reflected from the object in different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum
depending on the properties and characteristics of the object being sensed. Remote sensing normally
operates in the ultraviolet (UV), visible, reflected infrared, thermal emitted infrared and microwave
wavelength band regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The characteristics of each wavelength
band are provided in the Table 1.

Figure 1 Electromagnetic spectrum (Levin, 1999)

Table 1 Wavelength bands and their characteristics (Levin, 1999)
Band
Gamma ray

Wavelength
<0.030 nm

X-ray

0.03 to 0.3 nm

UV

0.3nm-0.4 mm

Visible

0.4 to 0.7 mm

Reflected IR

0.7 to 3 mm

Thermal IR

3 to14 mm

Microwave

0.3 to 300 cm

Radar

0.3 to 300 cm

Characteristics
Incoming radiation from the sun is completely absorbed by the
upper atmosphere, and is not available for Remote Sensing.
Gamma radiation from radioactive minerals is detected by low
flying aircraft as a prospecting method
Incoming radiation is completely absorbed by atmosphere. Not
employed in Remote Sensing.
Incoming UV radiation atmosphere wavelengths <0.3 mm is
completely absorbed by ozone in the upper atmosphere. UV with
wavelengths in between 0.3 to o.4 mm is transmitted through the
atmosphere and detectable with film and photo detectors, but
atmospheric scattering is severe.
Detected with film and photo detectors. Includes earth reflectance
peak at about 0.5 mm
This is primarily reflected solar radiation and contains no
information about thermal properties of materials. Commonly
divided into the following regions: Near Infra Red (NIR)
between 0.7 to 1.1 mm. Middle Infra Red (MIR) between 1.3 to
1.6 mm. Short Wave Infra Red (SWIR) between 2 to 2.5 mm.
Radiation from 0.7 to 0.9
The principal atmospheric windows in the thermal region.
Imagery at these wavelengths is acquired through the use of
optical-mechanical scanners, not by film.
These longer wavelengths can penetrate clouds and fog. Imagery
may be acquired in the active or passive mod
These longer wavelengths can penetrate clouds and fog. Imagery
may be acquired in the active or passive mod

The types of sensors used in remote sensing can either be active or passive sensors. In Active
remote sensing, the sensor uses its own source of energy where a controlled beam of energy is
emitted to the surface being observed and measure the amount of energy reflected back. Radar and
laser sensors are two examples for active remote sensing.
On the other hand, Passive remote sensors operate on measuring natural source of energy such
as sun. Photographic cameras are one of the most common types of passive sensors. Also some
passive sensors which can measure the longer wavelengths emitted by Earths temperature do not

depend on the sun as a source of illumination. Thermal scanners and passive microwave radiometers
are two examples for such kind of passive sensors. Some examples of active and passive sensors
together with the corresponding electromagnetic wavelength band/domains which they are sensitive
to are given in the Figure 2.

Figure 2 Active and passive sensors and corresponding electromagnetic band/domain (Bakker et al. 2001)

3. PLATFORMS AND IMAGE DATA CHARACTERISTICS

A stable platform is required to mount the remote sensing sensors in order for a sensor to record
the electromagnetic waves reflected, emitted or scattered from an object being sensed. Generally,
remote sensing sensors may be attached to moving platforms within the Earths atmosphere such as
aircrafts, balloons or to platforms which resides outside the Earths atmosphere such as spacecraft
and satellite. On the other hand, they can even be mounted to a static platform placed on the ground.
Ground based platforms are often used in experimental context such as to record the changing
reflectance characteristics of a particular crop for specific time duration or to record information on a
surface which is compared with information collected from aircraft or satellite senso rs. Sensors
placed on the ground may be attached to a pole, a ladder, tall building or crane, etc.
Aircrafts especially modified to carry sensors are used as aerial platforms for airborne
observation. Primarily, stable wing aircrafts are used for airborne observation, although helicopters
may be occasionally used. Ultra Light Vehicles, balloon and kites are also used for airborne
observations. Airborne observation is useful in collecting detailed images over virtually any place on
the Earth surface at any time.
Satellites which revolve around the Earth and space shuttles are utilized for space borne remote
sensing. Although satellites are relatively costly option for remote sensing they permit the repetitive
coverage of the Earth Surface due to their orbits on continuous basis and are useful in
communication and telemetry as well.
The electromagnetic energy, measured using the sensors mounted on above platforms, are more
usually stored as image data. The resolution of sensor-platform system often relates to the
characteristic of the image data being stored. The ability of a remote sensor to distinguish between
signals that are similar is known as the resolution. Spectral, radiometric, spatial and temporal are the
four types of resolution important in remote sensing. Spectral resolution refers to the number,
spacing and width of the sampled wavelength bands along the electromagnetic spectrum while
radiometric resolution refers to the dynamic range or the number of different output levels used to
record the radiant energy for a single measurement. Moreover, spatial resolution refers to the size of
the instantaneous field of vision or the ground view and temporal resolution is the temporal

frequency with which a given ground location will be sampled by an individual sensor. Usually, for
satellite based sensors it is controlled by the orbital characteristics of the satellite and the swath
width of the instrument. Thus, it is important to determine the most appropriate remote sensing data
type depending on the spatio-temporal phenomena of interest.

REFERENCES
Fang, C., 2016: Lecture1: Introduction to remote sensing. Lecture notes, Institute of Remote Sensing and
Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
Levin, N., 1999: Fundamentals of remote sensing. Lecture notes, Remote Sensing Lab, Geography Dept., Tel
Aviv University, Israel
Bakker, W., H, B. H. Gorte, J. A. Horn, L. L.F. Janssen, C. Pohl, A. Prakash, C. V. Reeves, M. J. C. Weir, T.
Woldai, G. C. Huurneman (edt.), 2001: Principles of Remote Sensing; An introductory textbook., 2 nd edition,
ITC educational textbook series2, The Netherlands