Applications of Remote Sensing to Agrometeorology: Proceedings of a Course held at the Joint Research Centre of the Commission of the European Communities in the Framework of the Ispra-Courses, Ispra, Varese, Italy, 6–10 April 1987

329 Pages·1989·13.03 MB·English

by  Ph. Hartl (auth.)

APPLICATIONS OF REMOTE SENSING TO AGROMETEOROLOGY
~~[pJooro-
-COUR8~8
ON REMOTE SENSING
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APPLICATIONS OF
REMOTE SENSING
TO AGROMETEOROLOGY
Proceedings of a Course held at the Joint Research Centre
of the Commission of the European Communities
in the Framework of the Ispra-Courses,
Ispra, Varese, Italy, 6-10 April 1987
Edited by
F. TOSELLI
Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS
DORDRECHT / BOSTON / LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Applications of remote sensing to agrometeorology : proceedings of a
course held at the Joint Research Centre of the Commission of the
European Communities in the framework of the Ispra courses, Ispra
(Va), Italy, 6-10 April 1987 / edited by F. Toselli.
p. cm. -- (Ispra courses on remote sensing)
Inc 1u des index.
1. Meteorology. Agricultural--Remote sensing--Congresses.
2. Meteorology, Agricultural--Remote sensing--Data processing
-Congresses. I. Tosel1i, F. II. CommiSSion of the European
Communities. Joint Research Centre. Ispra Establishment.
III. Series.
S600.7.R46A67 1988
630' .2'515--dc19 88-29405
CIP
TSBN-13: 978-94-010-7501-5 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-2235-8
DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-2235-8
Commission of the European Communities
Publication arrangements by
Commission of the European Communities
Directorate-General Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation, Scientific and
Technical Communications Service, Luxembourg
EUR 11757 EN
© 1989 ECSC. EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1989
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CONTENTS
Preface vii
Ph. Hartl
Fundamentals of Remote Sensing
Ph. Hartl
Sensors 19
G. Fraysse
Platforms 35
A. Hubaux
The Luxuriant Image - An Introduction to Remote Sensing
Data Processing 57
J. Dejace
Image Processing Techniques: Filtering, Exogenous Data,
Geometrical Processing 129
D. R. Nuesch and E. S. Kasischke
Imaging Radar Fundamentals 157
D. R. Nuesch and E. H. Meier
Radar Post-Processing 181
H. Grassl
Extraction of Surface Temperature from Satellite Data 199
B. Seguin
Use of Surface Temperature lon Agrometeorology 221
E. Raschke
Radiation Budget at the Ground from Satellite Data 241
T. Schmugge
Microwave Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture 257
J. P. Malingreau
The Vegetation Index and the Study of Vegetation Dynamics 285
E. C. Barrett
Satellite Remote Sensing of Rainfall 305
PREFACE
Within the framework of Ispra Courses, a course on "Applications of
Remote Sensing to Agrometeorology" was held from April 6th to 10th,
1987 at the Joint Research Centre of the European Communities, Ispra
Italy.
The purpose of the course was to familiarize scientists, active in
Agrometeorology and related fields, with remote sensing techniques
and their potential applications in their respective disciplines.
Conventional ground investigations in various fields of natural
sciences such as hydrology, pedology and agrometeorology can be supple
mented by a range of instruments carried by airborne or earth orbiting
platforms.
The last few years, in particular, have seen many developments in this
respect and a growing amount of information can now be derived not
only from dedicated earth resources satellites such as the LANDSAT and
SPOT, but also from other platforms such as METEOSAT and the series of
NOAA-TIROS. Future platforms (ERS-l, Space Station, etc.) with their
advanced sensors will further broaden the range of applications open
to the investigators.
The use of these data sources, together with field investigations, can
lead, at a reduced cost, to a better characterization of the spatial
and temporal properties of natural systems.
This course was intended to provide information on the state of the art
and on prospective developments in this field. The course was divided
into three parts:
1) Principles of remote sensing. This section introduces the fundamen
tals of remote sensing, the basis of detection, the various types of
platforms and sensors and the types of data obtained.
2) Data processing. This part is designed for current or future users
of aerospace remote sensing data who have limited experience in di
gital image processing. Properties of digital images, standard CCTs,
their format and disk storage systems are reviewed. Th~ principal
methods of image processing are then examined, including histogram
manipulation, contrast stretching, edge enhancement, filtering
techniques, etc. The characteristics and interpretation of radar
data are also introduced.
3) Applications. In this section the contribution of remote sensing to
the measurement of a number of basic agrometeorological parameters
(e.g. solar radiation, albedo, surface temperature, vegetation cha
racteristics and evapotranspiration, etc.) was discussed.
- VlI-
Advantages, limitations and accuracy of remote sensing approaches com
pared to usual techniques were also presented. To illustrate the use
fulness and application of remote sensing techniques to the study of
actual problems, examples of work actually performed at various scales,
from world-wide to local, were presented.
A series of invited lecturers from universities and institutes in
Europe and in the USA, all well-known specialists in their fields,
thoroughly illustrated the various parts of the programme.
After the course, with the support of the Directorate-General of the
Scientific and Technical Information of the European Communities at
Luxembourg and the organization of the Ispra Courses, we asked the
authors, who enthusiastically accepted, to take upon themselves the
supplementary task to look over and revise their lecture notes in order
to make them consistent among them. We would like to thank all these
authors for their cooperation.
Our thanks go also to the Directorate-General of the Scientific and
Technical Information offices, the Division Ispra Courses and the pu
blisher for their help in the production of this volume. We believe
that it reflects the scope and the coverage of the Seminar and we trust
that it will constitute a useful tool for all those involved in re
mote sensing of Agrometeorology and related fields.
Ispra, August 1988
- viii-
FUNDAMENTALS OF REMOTE SENSING
Ph. Hartl
University of Stuttgart, Institute of Navigation
Keplerstr. 11
D-7000 Stuttgart 1 - Fed. Rep. of Germany
ABSTRACT. This paper defines the purpose and describes the physical
background and basic features of remote sensing techniques. It covers
the applicable spectral bands of the optical and microwave regions and
the basic measurement concepts, which rely on the scattering and/or
self-radiating processes of electromagnetic waves and, more generally,
on some interaction of electromagnetic energy with matter.
1 . DEFINITION
Remote sensing is defined as a means of observing the earth's surface
and environment from air or space by means of electromagnetic waves
of the optical or microwave range. The restriction to electromagnetic
waves is due to the fact that the observation from a spacecraft ex
cludes other possibilities such as sonic waves, which require a medium
like air, water or solid earth for propagation. Other means of indi
rect observation by, for example, stationary magnetic or electric
fields are not sensitive enough for high geometric resolution measure
ments.
Remote sensing is characterized by the fact that it measures qua
litatively and quantitatively features or the earth or its atmosphere
without any material contact. The instruments applied are called sen
sors. If they consist of both a transmitter and a receiver, then we
are talking about "active sensors". In the case of external signal
sources it is possible to use just receivers, i.e. "passive sensors".
The Target's features can be measured indirectly through the in
teraction with electromagnetic waves. Various methods are applicable.
Figures 1 and 2 show the proper arrangements for passive and active
sensors, respectively. In the passive case one determines either
- the amount of electromagnetic emission of the target itself, or
- the reflectivity of optical signal power of the sun at the target, or
- the amount of scattered power, if the "target" is, for example, an
aerosol of the atmosphere, or
- absorption of solar radiation power in the media to be measured.
F. Toselli (ed), Applicalions ofR emote Sensing to Agroml!teor%gy, 1-18.
© 1989 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg.
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