Physical Principles of Remote Sensing

Fully updated and containing significant new material on photography, laser profiling and image processing, the third edition of this popular textbook covers a broad range of remote sensing applications and techniques across the Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. It focuses on physical principles, giving students a deeper understanding of remote sensing systems and their possibilities, while remaining accessible to those with less mathematical training by providing a step-by-step approach to quantitative topics. Boxed examples, additional photos and numerous colour images engage students and show them how the theory relates to the many real-world applications. Chapter summaries, review questions and additional problems allow students to check their understanding of key concepts and practise handling real data for themselves. Supplementary online material includes links to freely available software, animations, computer programs, colour images and other web-based resources of interest. 'This is a welcome new edition of a popular text, with wonderful color illustrations. The author has managed to help students digest the principles by adding useful summaries and review questions. A practical improvement for students and instructors is the addition of the rich suite of online resources, which greatly add to the book's appeal.' Farouk El-Baz, Director, Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University 'Rees' new edition of his popular remote sensing textbook is written in an easy-to-follow style, but doesn't neglect the mathematical underpinnings. It covers principles related to all the key wavelength regions, and such diverse topics as photogrammetry, atmospheric sounding and multispectral imaging. Including coverage of applications on land, in the atmosphere and oceans, it represents an excellent resource for students and practitioners alike.' Martin Wooster, Environmental Monitoring and Modelling Research Group, King's College London 'The third edition of this well known, highly respected and authoritative textbook contains a wealth of new material that captures advances in optical and microwave sensor systems and applications. University teachers will be delighted that the format remains the same; theory and technical detail are explained in clear language and supported by excellent diagrams and figures. The book incorporates good pedagogic principles ... additional text boxes to help guide students not familiar with certain theoretical concepts, and review questions with problems to assist teachers to set extension exercises. [It] uses excellent examples, many of which are new in this edition, that clearly demonstrate why remote sensing data from a very wide range of sensors and platforms has such an impact on science and society today. Every student of remote sensing, whatever their level, and every library should have a copy of this excellent book.' Daniel Donoghue, Durham UniversityPreface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Electromagnetic waves in free space; 3. Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter; 4. Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the Earth's atmosphere; 5. Photographic systems; 6. Electro-optical systems; 7. Passive microwave systems; 8. Ranging systems; 9. Scattering systems; 10. Platforms for remote sensing; 11. Data processing; Appendix: data tables; Bibliography; Index.