Course Objective

The course objectives are:
- Understanding of fundamental principles of electromagnetic radiation
and remote sensing in applications focused on land and atmosphere
- Air- and spaceborne image interpretation
- Knowledge of various satellite sensor systems and data availability
- Performing image analyses using both GIS and object-oriented coding

Course Content

Topics include:
- Definition of remote sensing and the electromagnetic spectrum
- Short history of remote sensing
- Fundamental radiation laws
- Variety of remote sensing technologies (RADAR, LIDAR, optical,
thermal), sensor systems (polar-orbiting and geostationary), and
important satellite missions
- Photogrammetry
- Geometric, atmospheric and topographic image corrections
- Land cover mapping
- Spectral indices
- Spectral mixture analysis
- Change detection and multitemporal analysis
- Soil moisture retrievals
- Atmospheric remote sensing
- Visual image interpretation and color composites
- Digital image analysis using GIS and object-oriented coding

Teaching Methods

Lectures, including guest lectures, supplemented with reading materials.
Computer lab sessions.

Method of Assessment

Written exam and lab assignments.

Literature

Selection of scientific papers and book sections.
Chuvieco, Emilio. Fundamentals of Satellite Remote Sensing: An
Environmental Approach. CRC press, 2016.
Lillesand, Thomas, Ralph W. Kiefer, and Jonathan Chipman. Remote sensing
and image interpretation. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.

Target Audience

First-year MSc Hydrology students and students from alternative Earth
Sciences, Earth and Economy or Natural Sciences MSc programs.

Recommended background knowledge

Good background knowledge of mathematics and physics, and basic
knowledge of GIS and object-oriented coding is recommended.