Geography Study Materials and Hand-outs

In much of remote sensing,  the process  involves an interaction between incident radiation and the targets of interest. This is exemplified by the use of imaging systems where the following seven elements are involved. Note, however that remote sensing also involves the sensing of emitted energy and the use of non-imaging sensors.   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. 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