Each pixel records the average brightness of each ground

resolution cell: ONE Number is all you get! (for each chunk of Data Structure
the spectrum that you look at)
Digital Numbers for a Single Band
DN = 56 in Band 1 (blue)
DN = 98 in Band 2 (green)
DN = 47 in Band 3 (red) 62 15 68 17
DN = 168 in Band 4 (near-IR)
14 19 7 89

82 246 235 55

30 m

30 m

Data Structure Sensor Types

X: Samples, Columns, or Pixels Photographic Cameras
Y: Lines, Rows

1,1 2,1 -Visible -Near (Color) IR

1,2 2,2
Digital Scanners:
Scanners:

Multispectral
Hyperspectral
Thermal IR
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Passive Microwave
Laser topographic mappers and fluorosensors

Whiskbroom Scanners
Optical-Mechanical Scanners
Sensor Platform

Have moving mirrors or lenses that move to Angular Field

of View Instantaneous Field
aim and scan across the Earth’s surface. of View (IFOV)

As the sensor scans, the brightness of the Swath Width

surface at each spot generates an electrical
current that varies in intensity. Bright areas
generate a stronger voltage than dark areas Ground Resolution Cell
(at a given wavelength).
Dwell time is the time an individual ground resolution cell is
within the IFOV. Larger IFOVs lead to longer dwell time and
higher signal to noise ratio (S/N)

1
 Whiskbroom Scanner Lidar
Optical-Mechanical Scanners
Landsat MSS

A: Rotating Mirror
B: Detector
C: Angular Field of View
(AFOV)
D: Instantaneous Field of View
(IFOV); ground resolution cell
E: View Angle of Swath
F: Swath Width

Pushbroom Scanner
Single line CCD
SPOT Satellite
Whiskbroom vs. Pushbroom
Linear Detector Array
Advantages over Whiskbroom:
1) No moving parts
2) Finer spatial resolution
3) Stronger signal (better S/N)
4) Simpler image construction

Ground
Swath
Width Ground Resolution Cells

Platform
Motion

Area (Two Dimensional) Array CCD Closeup:

Closeup: each looks at a different ground
CCD Array resolution cell
Terra MODIS Sensor

Two-dimensional CCD Array

2
 Side Scanning System Sensor Types
Photographic cameras
Record an entire scene instantly on light-
light-sensitive photographic film.
Radarsat
Across-
Across-track or “whiskbroom”
whiskbroom” mechanical-
mechanical-optical scanners
Scan a continuous series of narrow ground strips using a rotating
rotating or
Antenna oscillating mirror. The forward motion of the spacecraft or airplane
airplane causes
new ground strips to be covered by successive scan lines.
(Send and receive)
Along track or “pushbroom”
pushbroom” linear CCD scanners
Use a linear array of charge-
charge-coupled devices (CCDs
(CCDs).
). There is a dedicated
th detector element for each ground resolution cell, so no scanning mirror is
Swath Wid required. Uses the forward motion of the spacecraft or aircraft sweeps the
Platform linear array across the ground scene.
Motion
Area Array CCD scanners
A two-
two-dimensional array CCD that can image an area instantly without
requiring platform motion to build the image.

Side scanning systems (microwave systems)

Used in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Pulses of energyenergy are
transmitted to the side of the flight or orbital path, and the energy
energy is
scattered back to the same antenna.