REMOTE SENSING AND

GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION SYSTEM
Remote Sensing
The science of acquiring information about the
earth using instruments which are remote to the
earth's surface, usually from aircraft or satellites.
Instruments may use visible light, infrared or
radar to obtain data. Remote sensing offers the
ability to observe and collect data for large areas
relatively quickly, and is an important source of
data for GIS. (Source: digimap)

• Remote Sensor collects data by detecting energy

that is reflected from earth. This sensor can be
mounted on satellite or on aircraft.
• Remote sensed imagery is integrated within a GIS.
 Geographic Information
System (GIS)
• GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and
present all types of geographical data.
• GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing feature events on earth.
• GIS technology integrates common database operations, such as query and
statistical analysis, with maps.
• GIS manages location-based information and provides tools for display and
analysis of various statistics, including population characteristics, economic
development opportunities, and vegetation types.
• GIS allows you to link databases and maps to create dynamic displays.
Remote Sensing and GIS Work Flow
Data acquisition

Data processing & Data pre-processing

analysis
Atmospheric correction
Radiometric correction
Spatial data Geometric correction
modeling along Etc.
with other GIS
dataset
 Remote Sensing Data Acquisition
Electromagnetic Waves Used in Remote Sensing
 Properties of Electromagnetic Waves

Radiative Transfer:

• Transmitted
• Absorbed
• Reflected
• Scattered
• Emitted
 Resolutions in Remote Sensing

(a) Spatial Resolution: The detail discernible in an (b) Spectral Resolution: Spectral resolution describes
image is dependent on the spatial resolution of the the ability of a sensor to define fine wavelength
sensor and refers to the size of the smallest possible intervals. The finer the spectral resolution, the narrower
feature that can be detected. the wavelength range for a particular channel or band.
 Resolutions in Remote Sensing

(c) Temporal Resolution: Also important to consider in a (d) Radiometric Resolution: The radiometric resolution of an imaging
remote sensing system, refers to the length of time it takes for a system describes its ability to discriminate very slight differences in
satellite to complete one entire orbit cycle. The revisit period of energy. The finer the radiometric resolution of a sensor, the more sensitive
a satellite sensor is usually several days except Geostationary it is to detecting small differences in reflected or emitted energy.
satellites.
 Remote Sensing Data Processing and Analysis

Remote Sensing Data Pre-processing

(a) Atmospheric correction (b) Radiometric correction

 Remote Sensing Data Processing and Analysis

(c) Geometric correction

Geometric distortion due to Earth rotation.

Methods of Geometric correction

1.Using satellite header file (satellite onboard GPS)
2.Image to image registration
3.Image to map registration
4.Manually entered GCPs (Ground Control Points)
 Visual Interpretation (Band combination)
First step interpretation and to distinguish various land covers into different colors

Landsat TM5 Tokyo (Ashikaga, Isezaki)

Example: RGB 432 in Landsat RGB 541 in Landsat TM/ETM gives false
RGB 321 in Landsat TM/ETM gives TM/ETM gives false color. color. Assign band 5 to red channel, band 4
natural color. Assign band 3 to red Assign band 4 to red channel, to green channel and band 1 to blue channel
channel, band 2 to green channel and band 3 to green channel and in computer display.
band 1 to blue channel in computer band 2 to blue channel in
display. computer display. To assess water quality. Turbid water gives
bright blue and clear water gives dark blue.
To see landscape in realistic view. To determine vegetation stress
and vigor.
 Apply Algorithms

(a) NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) (b) NBR (Normalized Burn Ratio)
Vegetation is low reflectance in Red band and high reflectance in Landsat TM/ETMNBR = (B4 –B7) / (B4 + B7)
Infrared band. By normalizing this two bands, we can measure These two bands provide the best contrast between
vegetation stress and vigor. photosynthetically healthy and burned vegetation.
 Apply Algorithms

(c) Surface Temperature

Thermal band records thermal
emissive from the land surface
objects. This band is good to study
between surface temperature (Ts)
and other land covers.
 Image Classification
Unsupervised Classification Supervised Classification
Digital information extraction technique in which Digital-information extraction technique
the computer assigns pixels to categories with no in which the operator provides training-
instructions from the operator. Also known as site
Isodata Classification. information that the computer uses to
assign pixels to categories.
 Accuracy Assessment

After the classification process, it is

useful to assess the accuracy of land
cover classification, in order to
identify and measure map errors.
Usually, accuracy assessment is
performed with the calculation of an
error matrix, which is a table that
compares map information with
reference data (i.e. ground truth data)
for a number of sample areas.
 REMOTE SENSING DATA
APPLICATIONS IN
GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
(GIS)
 Remote sensing and GIS technology, and its applications in
various fields, have experienced a successful development in
recent decades.
 Remote sensing is one of the methods commonly used for
collecting physical data to be integrated into GIS. Remote
sensors collect data from objects on the earth without any
direct contact.
 Remote sensing technology has become much more
prevalent, accurate and accessible in recent years, and covers
a wide range of engineering applications.
 Furthermore, Remote Sensing and GIS has proved a powerful tool for
the environmental monitoring in many cases.
 RS and GIS are playing a rapidly increasing role in the field of
hydrogeology and water resources development.
 Remote sensing and geographic information systems is the only
technique that can provide holistic approach to the study of total
environment while still make visible the different process or
interrelationships that exist within the different biophysical components.
I. APPLICATION IN THE
FIELD OF AGRICULTURE

 crop type classification

 classification of agriculture areas
 crop condition assessment
 crop yield estimation
 use in agricultural statistics
 mapping of soil characteristics
 crop area estimation
 mapping of soil management practices
 crop monitoring
II.APPLICATION IN THE
FIELD OF FORESTRY

 Reconnaissance Mapping
 Commercial Forestry
 Environmental Monitoring
III. APPLICATION IN
THE FIELD OF
GEOLOGY
• surficial deposit / • environmental
bedrock mapping geology
• lithological mapping • sedimentation
• structural mapping mapping and
monitoring
• sand and gravel
• location of geological
(aggregate)
exploration and/or faults and anomalies
mineral exploration • geo-hazard mapping
• hydrocarbon • planetary mapping
exploration
 IV. APPLICATION
IN THE FIELD OF
HYDROLOGY
 wetlands mapping and  flood mapping and
monitoring, monitoring,
 soil moisture  glacier dynamics
estimation, monitoring (surges,
ablation)
 snowpack monitoring /
delineation of extent,  river /delta change
detection
 measuring snow
thickness,  irrigation canal
leakage detection
 determining snow-
water equivalent,  Mapping of
groundwater recharge
 river and lake ice
zone
monitoring,
V. APPLICATION
IN THE FIELD OF
SEA ICE
 ice concentration
 ice type / age /motion
 glacier mass balance
determination
 iceberg detection and tracking
 surface topography
 VI. APPLICATION IN THE FIELD OF
LAND COVER AND LAND USE
• Natural resource management
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Baseline mapping for GIS
• Urban expansion / encroachment
• Land cover area estimation
• Routing and logistics planning for seismic /
exploration / resource extraction activities
• Damage delineation
• Legal boundaries for tax and property
evaluation
• Target detection
 VII. APPLICATION IN THE
FIELD OF MAPPING
• Digital Elevation Models
(DEM’s)
• Baseline Thematic
• Planimetry Mapping / Topographic
Mapping
VIII. APPLICATION IN THE FIELD OF OCEANS
& COASTAL MONITORING

• Ocean Pattern Identification

• Storm Forecasting
• Fish Stock and Marine Mammal Assessment
• Oil Spill
• Shipping
• Intertidal Zone
• Coastal Ecosystem Management
IX. APPLICATION IN THE FIELD OF LANDSCAPE
ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY
• Biodiversity Assessment

• Landscape Analysis

• Analysis of Forest degradation and

fragmentation at landscape level

• Habitat mapping
X. APPLICATION IN THE FIELD OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

• Environmental impact assessment

• Water quality monitoring
• Wildlife habitat analysis
• Pollution monitoring
• Disaster control
• Analysis of earthquakes
• Flood management
• Warning of sand and dust storms
 The development of Remote Sensing is of no use without the development of
GIS and vice versa.
 Remote Sensing has the capability of providing large amount of data of the
whole earth and also very frequently, and GIS has the capability of analyzing a
large amount of data within no time.
 Remote sensing technology has developed from balloon photography to aerial
photography to multi-spectral satellite imaging.
 Radiation interaction characteristics of earth and atmosphere in different
regions of electromagnetic spectrum are very useful for identifying and
characterizing earth and atmospheric features.
 Remote sensing and GIS based integrated approach can be used for solving
the problems in various fields.
 PROBLEMS IN USING REMOTE SENSING AND
GIS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Some of the problems on the use of Remote Sensing and GIS
based on our limited experience as grassroots researchers in this
country are summarized as follows:

 Lack of financial support due to misdirected priorities

 Lack of coordination among the RS and GIS community

 Lack of manpower and misplacement of expertise

 Lack of geography schools and RS centers

 RS and GIS are too much business-driven

 NSDI- National GII- Geospatial
GDI- Geospatial
Spatial Data Information
Data Infastructure Infastructure Infastructure

• to save time, effort and funds in accessing spatial data and using it responsibly
• to avoid unnecessary duplication in the harmonization and standardization of
required datasets by promoting the sharing of available data
 THANK YOU!

Awid, Mary Grace Bacang, Wilgelyn Badilles, Ian Rex T.

Bautista, Janine