You are on page 1of 3

REMOTE SENSING

Remote sensing in it's broadest sense is simply defined as the observation of an object
from some distance. In the case of volcanic clouds this often means observing an
eruptive event using imaging tools positioned on satellites. To understand how these
tools operate the first thing that must be understood is what the instruments are
actually measuring.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
All objects at a temperature greater than absolute zero emit, absorb, and reflect
electormagnetic energy. This energy, measured in photons travels in the form of
waves at a variety of wavelengths. The complete array of wavelengths is known as
the electromagnetic spectrum which is brocken down into regions that are defined by
specific wavelenghts.

As this energy travels through the Earth's atmosphere some is reflected and some is
absorbed and reemitted. By measuring the energy reaching a satellite one can
characterize the features producing the reponse recorded by the sensor.

Radiation Laws - having some problems making images of


equations
Kirchhoff's Law states that for all blackbodies at the same temperature, the ratio of
emitted radiation to absorbed radiation is the same. Emissivity is then calculated as
the ratio of the emittatnce of an object and the emittance of a blackbody at the same
temperature.

Stefan-Boltzmann Law states that the energy per unit area that a blackbody emits
increases as the temperature of the blackbody increases. Total emitted radiation is
calculated by:

Lastly, Wien's Displacement Law describes the relationship between the wavelength
of emitted radiation and the temperature of the object. This law shows that as the
temperature of an object increases the wavelength of maximum emittance increaeses.

Interactions with the Earth's Atmosphere


All electromagnetic radiation must travel through the Earth's atmosphere and along
the way several things can happen to the radiation that alter the radiation in some way
either by redirection or a change in energy level. The further away a sensor is from
it's target, the the larger the atmospheric effects are upon the radiation.
Scattering - Scattering is the redirection of EM energy by particles suspended
in the atmphere. It is dependant upon the number of particles present in the
atmosphere, the size of the particles, the wavemlength of incoming radiation
and the depth of atmosphere that the radiation must travel through.

Particles that are small relative to the wavelength of incoming radiation


create rayleigh scattering. Rayleigh scattering is wave length dependant,
favoring short wavelengths, ansd is responsible for our sky appearing blue.
Insert Rayleigh graph and or equation here

Mie scattering is produced by particles having diameter approzimately equal to the


wavelength of the imcoming radiation. Mie scattering is typically created by dust,
smoke, haze and water droplets in the lower atmosphere.
The scattering produced by very large particles relative to the incoming radiation is
nonselective. As the name implies,nonselective scattering is not wavelength
dependant and scatters all wavelengths equally.
Absorption - Absorption occurs when atmospheric particles do not allow EM
radiation to be fully transmitted. The amount of energy absorbed is dependant upon
the absorber and the wavelength of incoming radiation. Energy that is absorbed is
then re-emitted at a longer wavelengths, There are three gasses in the atmosphere that
are responsible for most of the absorption in the earth's atmosphere.

You might also like