TERRA satellite

Orbits T=100 minutes Inclination Repeat time/track separation Off nadir allowed? Swath width Ascending/Descending, day/night Stereo possible?

Satellite Resolution Spatial Spectral Radiometric Temporal

Windows and absorption bands—who absorbs where

Whether noise is a nuisance or a signal may depend on whom you ask. Physics Today, May 2003

S/N ratio Pixel size Part of spectrum Bandwidth Active/Passive

Energy at Satellite Reflected Emitted

Revisit Times ASTER: 4 to 16 days (only on Terra) MODIS: 2 days (Terra and Aqua)

MODIS

ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS,MOPITT

Figure 1: The demise of Landsat 7. Partial image of Railroad Valley, NV (Path 40, Row 33) showing pre-anomaly (top), post-anomaly without interpolation (middle), and post-anomaly with interpolation (bottom).

SLAR—side looking airborne radar Same principals as side scan sonar

Contrast gray scale possible ~30 we can differentiate Use them most effectively

IR “Best” How show?

Color--Grayscale Normally amount of energy returned Exceptions –Thermal of clouds (weather satellites) –Side scan sonar imagery (history & technology)