Introduction to Thematic Mapper investigations. Section 1: Radiometry. Section 2: Geometry

An overview of papers which deal with radiometric characterization of the TM sensor is presented. Spectral characteristics are summarized. The geometric accuracy of TM are also examined. Aspects of prelaunch and post launch sensor performance, ground processing techniques, and error correction are also investigated

Integration of Aerial Thermal Imagery, LiDAR Data and Ground Surveys for Surface Temperature Mapping in Urban Environments

A single-band surface temperature retrieval method is proposed, aiming at achieving a better accuracy by exploiting the integration of aerial thermal images with LiDAR data and ground surveys. LiDAR data allow the generation of a high resolution digital surface model and a detailed modeling of the Sky-View Factor (SVF). Ground surveys of surface temperature and emissivity, instead, are used to estimate the atmospheric parameters involved in the model (through a bounded least square adjustment) and for a first assessment of the accuracy of the results. The RMS of the difference between the surface temperatures computed from the model and measured on the check sites ranges between 0.8 \ub0C and 1.0 \ub0C, depending on the algorithm used to calculate the SVF. Results are in general better than the ones obtained without considering SVF and prove the effectiveness of the integration of different data sources. The proposed approach has the advantage of avoiding the modeling of the atmosphere conditions, which is often difficult to achieve with the desired accuracy; on the other hand, it is highly dependent on the accuracy of the data measured on the ground

Investigation of a Space Delta Technology Facility (SDTF) for Spacelab

The Space Data Technology Facility (SDTF) would have the role of supporting a wide range of data technology related demonstrations which might be performed on Spacelab. The SDTF design is incorporated primarily in one single width standardized Spacelab rack. It consists of various display, control and data handling components together with interfaces with the demonstration-specific equipment and Spacelab. To arrive at this design a wide range of data related technologies and potential demonstrations were also investigated. One demonstration concerned with online image rectification and registration was developed in some depth

Earth resources: A continuing bibliography, issue 46

This bibliography lists 467 reports, articles and other documents introdcued into the NASA scientific and technical information system between April 1 and June 30, 1985. Emphasis is placed on the use of remote sensing and geophysical instrumentation in spacecraft and aircraft to survey and inventory natural resources and urban areas. Subject matter is grouped according to agriculture and forestry, environmental cultural resources geodesy and cartography, geology and mineral resources, hydrology and water management, data processing and distribution systems, instrumentation and sensors, and economical analysis

Review on Active and Passive Remote Sensing Techniques for Road Extraction

Digital maps of road networks are a vital part of digital cities and intelligent transportation. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review on road extraction based on various remote sensing data sources, including high-resolution images, hyperspectral images, synthetic aperture radar images, and light detection and ranging. This review is divided into three parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the existing data acquisition techniques for road extraction, including data acquisition methods, typical sensors, application status, and prospects. Part 2 underlines the main road extraction methods based on four data sources. In this section, road extraction methods based on different data sources are described and analysed in detail. Part 3 presents the combined application of multisource data for road extraction. Evidently, different data acquisition techniques have unique advantages, and the combination of multiple sources can improve the accuracy of road extraction. The main aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive reference for research on existing road extraction technologies.Peer reviewe

Earth resources: A continuing bibliography with indexes, issue 50

This bibliography lists 523 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between April 1 and June 30, 1986. Emphasis is placed on the use of remote sensing and geophysical instrumentation in spacecraft and aircraft to survey and inventory natural resources and urban areas. Subject matter is grouped according to agriculture and forestry, environmental changes and cultural resources, geodesy and cartography, geology and mineral resources, hydrology and water management, data processing and distribution systems, instrumentation and sensors, and economic analysis

Retrieving Soil and Vegetation Temperatures From Dual-Angle and Multipixel Satellite Observations

Land surface component temperatures (LSCTs), i.e., the temperatures of soil and vegetation, are important parameters in many applications, such as estimating evapotranspiration and monitoring droughts. However, the multiangle algorithm is affected due to different spatial resolution between nadir and oblique views. Therefore, we propose a combined retrieval algorithm that uses dual-angle and multipixel observations together. The sea and land surface temperature radiometer onboard ESA\u27s Sentinel-3 satellite allows for quasi-synchronous dual-angle observations, from which LSCTs can be retrieved using dual-angle and multipixel algorithms. The better performance of the combined algorithm is demonstrated using a sensitivity analysis based on a synthetic dataset. The spatial errors in the oblique view due to different spatial resolution can reach 4.5 K and have a large effect on the multiangle algorithm. The introduction of multipixel information in a window can reduce the effect of such spatial errors, and the retrieval results of LSCTs can be further improved by using multiangle information for a pixel. In the validation, the proposed combined algorithm performed better, with LSCT root mean squared errors of 3.09 K and 1.91 K for soil and vegetation at a grass site, respectively, and corresponding values of 3.71 K and 3.42 K at a sparse forest site, respectively. Considering that the temperature differences between components can reach 20 K, the results confirm that, in addition to a pixel-average LST, the combined retrieval algorithm can provide information on LSCTs. This article demonstrates the potential of utilizing additional information sources for better LSCT results, which makes the presented combined strategy a promising option for deriving large-scale LSCT products

Cloud cover determination in polar regions from satellite imagery

A definition is undertaken of the spectral and spatial characteristics of clouds and surface conditions in the polar regions, and to the creation of calibrated, geometrically correct data sets suitable for quantitative analysis. Ways are explored in which this information can be applied to cloud classifications as new methods or as extensions to existing classification schemes. A methodology is developed that uses automated techniques to merge Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) data, and to apply first-order calibration and zenith angle corrections to the AVHRR imagery. Cloud cover and surface types are manually interpreted, and manual methods are used to define relatively pure training areas to describe the textural and multispectral characteristics of clouds over several surface conditions. The effects of viewing angle and bidirectional reflectance differences are studied for several classes, and the effectiveness of some key components of existing classification schemes is tested

The glaciers climate change initiative: Methods for creating glacier area, elevation change and velocity products

Glaciers and their changes through time are increasingly obtained from a wide range of satellite sensors. Due to the often remote location of glaciers in inaccessible and high-mountain terrain, satellite observations frequently provide the only available measurements. Furthermore, satellite data provide observations of glacier character- istics that are difficult to monitor using ground-based measurements, thus complementing the latter. In the Glaciers_cci project of the European Space Agency (ESA), three of these characteristics are investigated in detail: glacier area, elevation change and surface velocity. We use (a) data from optical sensors to derive glacier outlines, (b) digital elevation models from at least two points in time, (c) repeat altimetry for determining elevation changes, and (d) data from repeat optical and microwave sensors for calculating surface velocity. For the latter, the two sensor types provide complementary information in terms of spatio-temporal coverage. While (c) and (d) can be generated mostly automatically, (a) and (b) require the intervention of an analyst. Largely based on the results of various round robin experiments (multi-analyst benchmark studies) for each of the products, we suggest and describe the most suitable algorithms for product creation and provide recommendations concerning their practical implementation and the required post-processing. For some of the products (area, velocity) post-processing can influence product quality more than the main-processing algorithm