AGR-307

REMOTE SENSING

By
Sayani Bhowmick
Assistant Professor
School of Agriculture
Swami Vivekananda University
 What is Remote Sensing?
➢Remote sensing is the science of acquiring information about the Earth's
surface without actually being in contact with it.

➢This is done by sensing and recording reflected or emitted energy and

processing, analyzing, and applying that information.

➢In much of remote sensing, the process involves an interaction between

incident radiation and the targets of interest.

❖The term, “remote sensing,” was

coined by Evelyn L. Pruitt (U.S. Office
of Naval Research) in 1960.
❖These seven elements comprise the remote sensing process from beginning to end.
 COMPONENTS OF REMOTE SENSING

1. Energy Source or Illumination (A) –

the first requirement for remote sensing is to have an energy

source which illuminates or provides electromagnetic energy
to the target of interest.

2. Radiation and the Atmosphere (B) –

as the energy travels from its source to the target, it will

come in contact with and interact with the atmosphere it
passes through. This interaction may take place a second time
as the energy travels from the target to the sensor.
 COMPONENTS OF REMOTE SENSING

3. Interaction with the Target (C) –

once the energy makes its way to the target through the
atmosphere, it interacts with the target depending on the
properties of both the target and the radiation.

4. Recording of Energy by the Sensor (D) –

after the energy has been scattered by, or emitted from the target,
we require a sensor (remote - not in contact with the target) to
collect and record the electromagnetic radiation.
 COMPONENTS OF REMOTE SENSING

5. Transmission, Reception, and Processing (E) –

the energy recorded by the sensor has to be transmitted, often

in electronic form, to a receiving and processing station where
the data are processed into an image (hardcopy and/or digital).

6. Interpretation and Analysis (F) –

the processed image is interpreted, visually and/or digitally or

electronically, to extract information about the target which
was illuminated.
 COMPONENTS OF REMOTE SENSING

7. Application (G) –

❖ The final element of the remote sensing process is achieved

when we apply the information we have been able to extract
from the imagery about the target in order to better understand
it, reveal some new information, or assist in solving a
particular problem.
The Remote Sensing Process
 PLATFORM
• A Platform is defined as the carrier for remote sensing
sensors.

• There are three major remote sensing platforms:

1. Ground-level platform (towers, cranes, drones)

2. Aerial platforms (Helicopters, hot air balloon, high

altitude aircraft)

3. Space borne platforms (space shuttles, polar-orbiting

satellites, and geostationary satellites).
 1. Ground-based platforms

• For detailed surface information.

• Can be placed on ladder, crane, tall buildings
etc.
• The data collected by this platform are used
for bridge and dam monitoring, landslide and
soil erosion mapping, architectural
restoration, facilities inventory, crime and
accident scene analysis, manufacturing, etc.
 2. Air-borne platform

• Primarily used for aerial photographs.

• Airplanes, helicopters, balloons and even rockets
are commonly used to collect very detailed
images.
• They are capable of operating over a wide range
of altitudes ranging from the sea level to
stratosphere.
• Aerial photographs have been a main source of
information about the Earth’s surface almost
since the beginning of aviation more than a
century ago.
 3. Space-borne Platform
• A space-borne platform, in the context of remote
sensing, refers to a sensor-carrying spacecraft,
typically a satellite or space shuttle, orbiting the
Earth.
• They can be polar satellites (low orbit), geostationary
(high orbit) and Navigation (medium orbit).
• They are used for remote sensing, weather
monitoring, communication and navigation
purposes.
• They are not affected by earth’s atmosphere. Global
coverage. But low resolution.
REMOTE SENSING PLATFORM
 Sensors
It is a device that receives electromagnetic
radiations and converts it into a signal that can
be recorded and displayed as either numerical
data or an image.
 Types of Remote Sensing
1. Active Remote Sensing:
Active sensors emit their own energy and measure the
reflection or backscatter of that energy from the
target.
Examples:
• RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging): Uses radio
waves to determine distance, speed, and direction of
objects.
• LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Uses laser
beams to create detailed 3D maps of the Earth's surface.
• Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging): Uses sound
waves, primarily underwater, to detect objects and map
the seabed.
 Types of Remote Sensing
2. Passive Remote Sensing:
Passive sensors detect naturally occurring
radiation, such as sunlight or thermal infrared
radiation, emitted or reflected by the Earth's
surface.
Examples:
• Optical sensors: Capture visible light, infrared,
and other wavelengths.
• Infrared sensors: Detect heat radiation.
• Radiometers: Measure electromagnetic radiation
across a wide range of wavelengths.
Concept Of Active And Passive Remote Sensing
 Application of Remote Sensing

Soil properties Yield monitoring

Crop sensing VRT system
sensing system

•Soil texture •Plant population •Crop yield •fertilizer flow

•Soil structure •Crop stress •Moisture •Weed
•Soil moisture •Nutrient status of content of grain detection
•Soil nutrient soil
•Physical
condition of soil
 Application of remote sensing
❖ Crop Identification:
• It is very important for any government to know what crops the country is going to
produce in the current growing season.
• To identify the crop, we need to know in advance, how the crops reflect the near-
infrared at each of their various growth stages. Using the different near infrared
reflectance is one of the tools we have to discriminate between two crops.
• Having the knowledge of when each crop is planted and harvested, we can estimate
the percentage of vegetation cover through the growth period, assuming no external
factors (stress, disease, etc.) affect its growth.
• By using multi-date data (data from different dates) from one growing period, it is
possible to identify the different crop types, because the vegetation cover of each
crop changes at different rates.
• By combining this information with remote sensing data, we can discriminate
between different crops and also identify them. This information serves to predict
grain crop yield, collecting crop production statistics, facilitating crop rotation
records, mapping soil productivity, identification of factors influencing crop
stress, assessment of crop damage and monitoring farming activity.
 Application of remote sensing
• Detection, diagnosis and control of plant diseases
• Remote sensing assist in protecting the plants from potential attacks of
pests, fungi or bacteria.
• By combining agricultural knowledge with remotely sensed data, it is
possible to have early warning and prevent a pest or a disease from
affecting the crops, by taking appropriate action at an early stage.
• It is also possible to assess the extent of the damage caused by pests and
diseases, by using similar methods to those used to identify stressed
plants.
• The symptoms of such attacks usually cause the break-down of
chlorophyll, and we can identify the reduction of chlorophyll
concentration in the plants through remote sensing.
• In addition to loss of chlorophyll, pest and diseases can cause the
destruction of whole leaves. This leads to a reduction in the total leaf area
and as a result, the reduction of the plant's capacity for photosynthesis.
 Application of remote sensing

• Soil Mapping
– Soil maps are another type of maps developed using remote sensing
data. These maps can be compiled on the basis of airborne or satellite
images acquired when the degree of soil coverage by plants is less
than 30-50%.
– Soil maps present homogeneous soil zones with similar properties and
conditions for plant growth. These maps are useful in determining soil
sampling locations for detailed studies of soil, soil moisture sensors
location or developing irrigation plans
– Remote sensing is a good method for mapping and prediction of soil
degradation. Soil layers that rise to the surface during erosion have
different color, tone and structure than non eroded soils thus the
eroded parts of soil can be easily identify on the images. Using multi-
temporal images we can study and map dynamical features – the,
expansion of erosion, soil moisture.
 Application of remote sensing
• Yield estimation
– Remote sensing has been used to forecast crop yields based primarily
upon statistical–empirical relationships between yield and vegetation
indices.
• Yield maps
– Yield maps created on the basis of satellite images acquired in many
seasons represent the spatial variability in crops yield regardless of
plant species.
• Land cover mapping
– It is one of the most important and typical applications of remote
sensing data. Land cover corresponds to the physical condition of the
ground surface, for example, forest, grassland, concrete pavement
etc., while land use reflects human activities such as the use of the
land, for example, industrial zones, residential zones, agricultural fields
etc Initially the land cover classification system should be established,
which is usually defined as levels and classes.