Remote Sensing Concepts for Image Processing and Analysis

NH Rao
National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad

Learning Objectives

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Brief overview of concepts related to remote sensing of features on the land surface:

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and its interactions with atmosphere and materials
Spectral signatures Concept of a digital image Image acquisition : spatial, spectral and radiometric resolutions Image analysis and processing (IDRISI)

Background
Remote sensing: obtaining information about the earths surface by recording reflected or emitted energy by sensors, and processing, analyzing, and applying that information Satellite imageries: processed remote sensing data for mapping, monitoring and managing earths surface features input to GIS Interpretation and analysis of imageries: based on relationships between properties measured by sensors and properties of land surface.
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Basis

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Earth is naturally illuminated by the electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) from the Sun Land surface properties can be assessed by detection & measurement of EMR, that has interacted with surface materials and atmosphere

4 types of interactions can occur: transmission, reflection, absorption and emission

Interactions vary with wave length/frequency of incident EMR & physical/ chemical properties of surface material
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Electromagnetic Spectrum

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Regions of relevance to remote sensing: visible: 0.4 to 0.7 micrometers infrared: 0.7 to 1000 micrometers microwave: 0.1 to 100 cm Fig Source: NASA
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Matter- EMR interactions

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Transmission: EMR passes through a material with little change in intensity Absorption: EMR that is absorbed is transformed into heat energy which raises the materials temperature Absorption is wavelength and material specific

Emission: Absorbed heat energy is emitted as EMR at a wavelength dependent on materials temperature. (lower temperature longer wavelength of emitted EMR).
Fig Source: TNTmips

Reflection: smooth surface reflection is specular reflection; Rough surfaces cause scattering

EMR - Atmosphere Earth surface Interactions NAARM

Fig source: TNTmips

EMR and Atmosphere Interactions Concept of Atmospheric window

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water vapour, carbon dioxide and ozone are significant absorbers of EMR in specific wave-length ranges

some wavelengths are almost completely absorbed

wavelength ranges (wavelength bands) with high transmission values (minimal absorption) are suitable for use in remote sensing to detect and measure EMR from land surface features - atmospheric windows choice and design of sensors to detect EMR is based on available atmospheric windows

Atmospheric Windows for remote sensing

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Visible to near infrared: 0.4 - 0.7 micro m Near infrared: 0.71.1micro m short infrared: 1.1-2.5 micro m

Mid infrared: 3 5 micro m Thermal infrared: 8-14 micro m Microwave: 1-30 cm

Fig. Source: CCRS

EMR interactions with land surface features spectral signatures for feature identification

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different materials have different patterns of wavelength specific absorption and reflection of EMR spectral signatures

property used to qualify spectral signatures is spectral reflectance ratio of reflected to incident energy as a function of wavelength
spectral reflectance of different materials can be measured to provide reference data to interpret images surface materials can be distinguished from each other by differences in spectral reflectance

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Spectral reflectance curves for vegetation, soil and water

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Spectral plots for healthy and stressed crops

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Spectral bands and earth surface features

0.45-0.52 Blue m 0.52-0.60 m 0.63-0.69 m 0.76-0.90 m 1.55-1.75 m 2.08-2.35 m 10.4-12.5 Green Red Near Infrared Mid Infrared Mid Infrared Thermal Infrared Mapping coastal water, soil vegetation discrimination forest type mapping

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Vegetation discrimination and vigor assessment Chlorophyl absorption region; plant species identification Determination of vegetation types, vigor, biomass content; also delineation of water bodies and soil moisture Plant moisture content and soil moisture; also differentiate snow from clouds Discrimination of mineral and rock types. Sensitive to plant moisture content Vegetation moisture content, soil moisture discrimination, and thermal mapping applications

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The concept of a digital image

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Fig Source: Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

photograph is scanned and subdivided into pixels each pixel is assigned a digital number based on its relative brightness Basis for assigning numbers: computers understand binary numbers a string of 8 binary numbers is used to represent each shade numbers range from: 00000000 (darkest) to 11111111 (brightest) a total of 256 shades of gray between black and white can be distinguished

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Satellite Image acquisition - overview

700-900 km altitude Orbit every 90-100 minutes produces similar daytime lighting swath width is the area on the ground which is observed in one line of pixels measured by the sensor.

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The imaging systems, swath and resolution

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linear detector array with a number of detector elements each detector element projects an "instantaneous field of view (IFOV)" on the ground. at any instant, a row of pixels are formed. as the detector array flies along its track, the row of pixels sweeps along to generate a two-dimensional image.

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Satellite Image acquisition - basis

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reflectance is influenced by radiation source, its interaction with surface materials, atmosphere, and illumination geometry together these effects produce a composite signal that varies spatially and with time signals can be detected by an array of electronic sensors optimized for specific wavelength bands (within atmospheric windows) electronic sensors generate electrical signals (electric voltages) which represent magnitude and wavelength of reflected radiation (reflectance) from a finite patch of ground strength of the electrical signal is proportional to the strength of the spectral signal (brightness) received

as the sensor system travels over the ground with different land cover types, the response from the sensors will vary
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Image acquisition basis (contd..)

electrical signals are transmitted to ground stations by radio waves and converted to digital image images represented as numbers by sampling electrical voltages at fixed intervals numbers represent different gray shades (depending on the strength/brightness of the signal) arranged in a rectangular array of pixels each pixel number represents the average brightness of the features (reflectance) of the square land area covered by it when displayed on computer, brightness values are translated into display brightness on screen to produce an image we can interpret

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Interpretation of digital numbers

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a digital satellite image is a grid of numbers with values for each pixel representing the corresponding land surface

Fig Source: Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

image is georeferenced to GCPs to associate brightness values with features on land surface
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Resolutions of images

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Spatial resolution ability to distinguish smallest size detail of pattern on image (relative to ground) Spectral resolution: ability to distinguish between signals of different wavelengths (wavelength bands) Radiometric resolution: ability to distinguish between signals of different strength for the same wavelength band (number of discrete levels into which electrical signals can be quantized - most satellites use 8-bit binary systems or 256 levels) Temporal resolution: time between images of same features of land surface

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Spatial resolution and map scale

Spatial resolution Map scale

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1m x 1m
5m x 5m 10m x 10m 25m x 25m 50m x 50m 100m x 100m

1:5000
1:25000 1:50000 1:125000 1:250000 1:500000

Basis: 1 pixel represents 0.2 mm on map

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Spectral resolution

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the range of wavelengths that a sensor is able to detect and measure (number of spectral bands)

features on the ground (eg water, vegetation) can be identified by the different wavelengths reflected
an image produced by a sensor system can comprise: - one broad wavelength band (panchromatic) - a few broad bands (multispectral) - many narrow wavelength bands (hyperspectral) most RS satellites use panchromatic and/or multispectral sensors sensitive to different wavelength bands

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Multispectral scanners

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comprise parallel sensor arrays for detecting radiation in a small number of broad wavelength bands most satellite systems use 3 to 6 spectral bands in the visible to mid-infrared wavelength region bands in infrared regions are limited in width to avoid atmospheric absorption effects increased spectral resolution increases ability to classify images IRS LISS III MSS uses green (0.52-59), red (0.62-68), near infrared (0.77-0.86) and mid infrared (1.55- 1.70) bands .

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Digital data formats: BIL, BSQ

BIL- Band interleaved by line BSQ- Band sequenced

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Combining images from different bands to increase contrast the false colour composite (FCC) each band generates a B/W image and each has different contrast

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eye can distinguish only 20-30 gray tones but over 20000 colour tints B/W images in each band are displayed in red, green or blue colours to achieve relative contrast between the bands

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Other methods of combining images

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band ratios NIR/RED NDVI : (NIR-RED)/(NIR+RED) classification procedures

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Integration with GIS

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REAL WORLD

CLASSIFIED REMOTE SENSING IMAGE

GIS

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Thank You

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