OPTI 490/590

Remote Sensing for the Study of Planet Earth (3 units). In-depth review of principles, techniques, and applications of remote sensing, providing an introduction to the physical basis of remote sensing for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science and engineering. The course includes concepts and practices of information extraction, and a review of a wide range of applications pertinent to earth systems science, including lectures by members of the UA's Committee on Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis on current research.

Home Department: Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis

Course Outline:

Introduction:
  • Definition and history of remote sensing and its importance
  • Spectral terms, image concepts and terms
  • Thematic measurements
  • Introduction to sensor characteristics, optics, detectors, signal-to-noise
  • Scanning systems
  • Image display and data formats
  • Current remote sensing systems
Radiance at Sensor:
Radiometric terms, fundamental radiometric laws, basic units and definitions and radiometric relationships
  • Atmospheric effects on solar and terrestrial radiation
  • Radiative transfer for solar reflected radiation
  • Radiative transfer for thermally emitted radiation
  • Surface reflectance
  • Surface emissivity
Image Processing:
  • Spatial resolution
  • Spectral resolution
  • Data models, histograms, normal distribution
  • Spectral transformation
  • Spatial filtering techniques
Correction and calibration:
  • Analog and digital data collection, DN to radiance
  • Noise correction
  • Atmospheric correction
  • Geometric correction 
Applications:
  • Data integration, GIS, fusion
  • Thematic classification
  • Environmental applications at regional, global, and local scales
  • Remote sensing and Spatial Analysis at the UA
  • Course review
Grading and Attendance:
Homework accounts for 20% of the final grade. Homework is due by the date and time listed on the assignment unless I am contacted prior to the due date. Late homework has a 10% deduction if turned in prior to grading of other assignments and 20% if turned in after graded assignments are returned.  Two exams are given, each worth 30%, after the Radiance at Sensor segment, plus a comprehensive final exam. A review paper will also be assigned that accounts for 20% of the grade. Attendance is not explicitly included within the grading but it is in the student's interest to attend class because of the weight placed on the lectures in the homework and exams.

Textbook:
Schowengerdt, R.A. (1997). Remote Sensing: Models and Methods for Image Processing. Academic Press.

Class Notes: