Description
We will examine how the earth and its atmosphere can be viewed from aircraft and satellites using different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and how the images obtained can be analyzed to provide information on land use and features of the earth’s surface. There are hundreds of applications for such data including the monitoring of local and global environmental changes, weather forecasting, storm tracking, seismic analysis, land use, urban planning, the detection and monitoring of natural hazards, oil and mineral exploration, vegetation studies, crop classification, and oceanography.
This is an advanced course in remote sensing. Students will normally have taken a first course in the subject, such as Geog 407/L, or have gained some experience through other courses or projects.  If not, students will be expected to go through some of the basic exercises in image processing from Geog 407 at the start of the course in order to gain experience with the software and basic functions. In this course students will learn the principles and practice of remote sensing, how remote sensing is used in research and gain hands-on experience in image analysis using ERDAS Imagine, a sophisticated image processing software package through assignments and projects.Â
Attendance
Class attendance is required. Students will be listening to lectures, reviewing journal articles, participating in discussions, carrying out assignments and participating in a class project. Students are expected to be on time for class and to be respectful of others. Cell phones must be turned off.
Course
Materials
The course syllabus, reading materials, tutorials, assignments and resources are posted on Moodle. Please access the Moodle page regularly and keep up with the readings and assignments. All students are expected to read the assigned journal articles in advance of class (two per week).
The text is optional and should be purchased by students who will be using remote sensing beyond this classroom experience. It is not necessary, but is useful, for successful completion of the course. The text for the course is “Remote Sensing of the Environment” (2nd edition) by John R. Jensen (Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-188950-8). Â Any edition of the text is acceptable.
Journals
Students will be required to read and present a journal article to the class. This is a useful way to learn more about the topic of remote sensing and to understand how it is applied in practice. Part of your grade is determined by your article presentation and by your participation in the discussion of other articles.
I will be posting journal articles that students can select from. If you are working in another research area and would like to use a journal article that applies remote sensing to your area of interest, you may select a different article but must submit it to me to review at least two weeks before your presentation date.
Grading
Students will be graded on completion of class assignments (25%), presentation and discussion of journal articles (15%), a project (20%), and term paper (25%) and presentation (15%) related to this.
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Schedule of classes
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week 1 |
Jan 21 |
course overview
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Lab: ERDAS Imagine introduction Research Landsat 8. (due Jan 28) |
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week 2 |
Jan 28 |
basic principles of remote sensing |
Read 2 assigned journal articles (due Feb 4) |
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week 3 |
Feb 4 |
basic principles of remote sensing |
Read 2 assigned journal articles (due Feb 11) |
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week 4 |
Feb 11 |
basic principles of remote sensing |
Lab: Ex 2 (due Feb 25): Examining effects of drought on vegetation Read 2 assigned journal articles (due Feb 18) |
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week 5 |
Feb 18 |
remote sensing applications |
Lab: Ex 2: Examining effects of drought on vegetation |
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week 6 |
Feb 25 |
remote sensing applications |
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week 7 |
Mar 4 |
remote sensing applications |
remote sensing applications (journal articles) – discussion |
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week 8 |
Mar 11 |
remote sensing applications |
Lab: |
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week 9 |
Mar 18 |
remote sensing applications |
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week 10 |
Mar 25 |
Lab and Group project work |
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week 11 |
Apr 1 |
remote sensing applications |
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week 12 |
Apr 8 |
NO CLASS - HOLIDAY |
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week 13 |
Apr 15 |
Projects |
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week 14 |
Apr 22 |
projects |
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| week 15 | Apr 29 |
project presentations |
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week 16 |
May 6 |
project presentations |
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Learning Outcomes and Assessment
Goal A: Knowledge
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Students will understand the principles and practice of remote sensing.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Class discussion, literature review, oral presentation, project
Students will learn the properties of the common satellite instruments.
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Class discussion, literature review, oral presentation, project
Students will understand applications of remote sensing to earth observing and environmental monitoring.
Students will become well-acquainted with applications of remote sensing to global change, atmospheric monitoring, land use and land cover mapping, geologic and soil mapping, agricultural and forestry applications, hydrology and ecology.
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Class discussion, literature review, oral presentation, project
     Goal B: Acquiring Knowledge
Students will develop skills for acquiring new knowledge and reviewing literature.
Students will take comprehensive notes during class presentations.
Students will read material assigned and referenced in class.
Students will learn to find ancillary material from the Internet.
Students will read and analyze research articles from professional journals.
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Class discussion, oral presentation, project
     Goal C: Problem Solving Skills
Students will assimilate knowledge from different parts of the course and a variety of sources to understand how remote sensing is applied to environmental monitoring and surface mapping.
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Class discussion, oral presentation, project
     Goal D: Communicating Knowledge
Students will communicate the knowledge they have gained to analyzing and explaining journal articles describing remote sensing and its application.
Students will communicate the knowledge they have gained by describing a specific remote sensing application.
- Assessment/Evaluation tool: Oral presentation, project.
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