GEOG2701 Introduction to Remote Sensing

2018

4.5

1 x 2-hour lecture weekly
1 x 2-hour computer lab weekly

1 of GEOG3014, GEOG8010, GEOG8701, WARM8701 has been successfully completed

This topic will introduce students to the theory and application of remote sensing. The topic is designed for students from a wide range of backgrounds and will discuss remote sensing principles that are fundamental to scientists across all areas. It will consider the nature of electromagnetic radiation, its interaction with the atmosphere and Earth surface features; sensors and data sources; the treatment of distortion in remotely sensed imagery; field sampling and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for remote sensing. ERDAS IMAGINE's professional image processing software will provide students with hands-on experience. Students will also be introduced to a range of digital image analysis techniques that are used to extract useful Earth resource information from imagery, while the relationship between remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GPS) will also be demonstrated.

The aim of this topic is to introduce students to the theory and application of remote sensing. The topic is designed for students from a wide range of backgrounds and will discuss remote sensing principles that are fundamental to scientists across all areas. It will consider the nature of electromagnetic radiation, its interaction with the atmosphere and earth surface features, the range of satellite and airborne sensors available, data sources, field sampling and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), including the treatment of error and distortion within remotely sensed imagery. ERDAS IMAGINE's professional image processing software will provide students with hands-on experience, while the relationship between remotely sensed data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will also be demonstrated.

At the completion of the topic, students are expected to be able to:

1. Discuss remote sensing theory and principles that are fundamental to scientists across all areas, including its relationship and integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
2. Describe the fundamental characteristics of electromagnetic radiation and how this energy interacts with the atmosphere and Earth materials such as vegetation, soil and water
3. Describe how electromagnetic energy reflected or emitted from these materials is recorded using a variety of remote sensing instruments, including the practical use of field radiometers, the nature of a range of satellite platforms, sensors and data availability for earth resource mapping and monitoring, and the treatment of error and distortion in remotely sensed imagery
4. Identify and be aware of appropriate field sampling techniques to assist in image interpretation and analysis, including the practical use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in relation to remote sensing
5. Extract fundamental land-cover information from remotely sensed data and describe the nature of both unsupervised and supervised classification methodology of remotely sensed imagery
6. Demonstrate the use of professional image processing software ERDAS IMAGINE for visualisation, geometric correction and inquiry of remotely sensed data
7. Produce written work in accordance with good scholarly practice