Description

Remote Sensing is an application of photogrammetry in which imagery is acquired with a sensor, other than or in addition to, a conventional camera through which a scene is recorded, such as by electronic scanning, using radiations outside the normal visual range of the film and camera - microwave, thermal infrared, ultraviolet as well as multispectral. Special techniques are applied to process and interpret remote sensing imagery for the purpose of producing conventional maps, thematic maps, resource surveys and so on, in the fields of agriculture, archaeology, forestry, geography, geology and others. Remote sensing and GIS were initially recognized as supporting tools for planning, monitoring, and managing the appropriate utilization of the earth resources. However, due to their multidisciplinary applications and integration with numerous other scientific and technological fields, in the recent years they have become a distinct field of study. The rapid progress, and increased visibility, of remote sensing and GIS since the 1990s has been made possible by a paradigm shift in computer technology, computer science, and software engineering, as well as airborne and space observation technologies. As a result a new field of study named geomatics engineering or geospatial technology or geoinformatics is now in its maturity. The term 'geoinformatics' is fairly young and is commonly used to define the tools and techniques used inland surveying, remote sensing, GIS, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), and related forms of the earth mapping. This book begins with the fundamentals of remote sensing and GIS. As readers go through the chapters of this book, they will learn how remote sensing and GIS can be applied for studying the land, sea, air, and biotic communities that comprise our planet's environment. This book describes the role of space science and technology for using remote sensing to monitor planetary bodies; while the second part demonstrates the role of information technology to monitor and to manage the earth resources by means of GIS. Not only will readers gain an insight into the applications of remote sensing imagery, they will also develop skills in interpreting these visual displays and data sets by direct inspection and by computer processing. This book provides a clear idea of how remote sensing and GIS can be used to analyse the data and to solve complex management problems. Students will also be able to apply his newly acquired knowledge by doing their own analysis using the software provided in the online resource centre.