SENSORS OF REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE

SENSORS OF REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE

Abstract:

Remote sensing is a technique to observe the earth’s surface or atmosphere through space (space born) or air (airborne) .It is also known as “earth observation”
or “teledetection”.
Satellites are also used for remote sensing purpose. Main payload on such satellites is sensors which pick up light and heat from ground and convert it into the image. Sensors use on satellites takes the image in various wavelength bands and produces false color images which are used to identify the objects on earth.
Such images are used for the purpose of observation of the earth, to explore the hidden minerals to detect global pollution levels, rundown of natural resources etc.
Sensors generally operate in cross track mode and take images in different bands. The spatial resolution, spectral resolution, radiometric resolution, temporal resolution is different for different sensors.

Remote sensing systems basically consist of four components :-
1) Source of EM energy – it can be sun’s reflected energy or heat radiated by earth.
2) Atmospheric interaction – EM energy passes through atmosphere is distorted, absorbed & scattered.
3) Earth’s surface interaction – characteristics of EM energy is a function of objects present on earth & wavelength as well.
4) Sensors – they are used to register emitted and reflected EM energy & produce images of earth’s surface.