REMOTE SENSING

REMOTE SENSING

ASTER * AVHRR * GOES * LANDSAT * MODIS * OMI * TOMS

* Learn More * Image Galleries and Data *

Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomena that is obtained remotely, meaning it is obtained without coming into contact with the object or phenomena. This can be as simple as taking a picture with a camera or receiving information from satellites. This website is designed as a reference for finding information about the different types of remote sensing instruments that are available with possible utilization for natural hazard assessment. Click on the name of each remote sensing device below to learn more about the instrument, its applications, and where to obtain and view images online. Links to remote sensing tutorials and images can be found at the bottom of the page.

Plume from the Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

NASA image courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

ASTER

ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) is a remote sensing/imaging instrument located on the satellite Terra. It is used to collect detailed maps of land surface temperature, reflectance and elevation. It was launched in December 1999 as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA's) Earth Observing System (EOS). ASTER is a joint effort between NASA, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Japan's Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center (ERSDAC).

AVHRR

AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) is a radiation-detection imager that collects data in 5 spectral bands twice a day. It collects three types of data: Global Area Coverage (GAC), Local Area Coverage (LAC), and the High Resolutions Picture Transmission (HRPT). Full Resolution Area Coverage (FRAC) also became available in 2006. AVHRR data has many uses that include determining cloud cover, surface temperatures, vegetation conditions, and snow cover. The AVHRR imager is located on the NOAA POES (Polar Operational Environmental Satellite) satellite.

GOES

The GOES satellites are weather satellites that circle the earth at a speed equal to the Earth’s rotation so that they continuously remain over one position of the Earth’s surface. The elevation of the satellites above the Earth allows for a full-disc view of the Earth. This offers a constant observation of one area and is good for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes. They can also be used to estimate rainfall and snowfall.

LANDSAT

Landsat is a series of remote sensing/imaging satellites that are designed to gather Earth resource data from space. Landsat collects 8 spectral bands in blue, green, red, near infrared, infrared, shortwave infrared, thermal infrared, and panochromatic. It is a joint effort between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). NASA is responsible for developing and launching the satellites while the USGS is responsible for overseeing the operations, maintenance, and management of the ground data reception, processing, archiving, product generation, and distribution. The first Landsat satellite was launched in 1972 and the Landsat Program has continuously collected space-based land remote sensing data since that time.

MODIS

MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a remote sensing instrument that is located on both the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. The Terra satellite passes from north to south across the equator every morning whereas the Aqua satellite passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. These paths ensure that MODIS images cover the entire Earth’s surface every 1 to 2 days. The satellite obtains data in 36 spectral bands that are used to help monitor global change on land, ocean, and in the lower atmosphere.

OMI

The OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) instrument is located on the NASA satellite Aura. It has a nadir viewing spectrometer that looks at solar reflected and backscattered light in specific wavelengths (selected visible and ultraviolet wavelengths). It can measure different aerosol types (smoke, dust, and sulfates) and cloud pressure and coverage. It is used for tracking global climate change, air quality, and understanding stratospheric ozone.

TOMS

The TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) instrument is used to measure ozone levels over the entire earth on a daily basis. A number of TOMS satellites have been launched creating a nearly 30 year record in ozone information. The last TOMS satellite, Earth Probe, stopped working in December of 2006. The OMI instrument on board the Aura satellite has taken over the job of the TOMS instrument.

LEARN MORE ABOUT REMOTE SENSING:

Canada Center for Remote Sensing

This page offers a tutorial on the fundamentals of remote sensing. It is geared toward seniors in high school and

early undergraduate students.

Dr. Nicholas Short’s Remote Sensing Tutorial

(a NASA website)

This site offers an extensive look at remote sensing, its applications, and how to interpret and use remote sensing data.

Remote Sensing Tutorial from NASA’s Observatorium

Landsat 7 Compositor

This site helps explain satellite imagery and in particular how to interpret Landsat 7 imagery.

REMOTE SENSING IMAGE GALLERIES AND DATA RESOURCES

Image Galleries