engineering

Thermal remote sensing

Thermal remote sensing is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Thermal remote sensing rather than just read about it. In short: Thermal remote sensing is a branch of remote sensing in the thermal infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thermal radiation from ground objects is measured using a thermal band in satellite sensors.

Key takeaways

Thermal remote sensing belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Thermal remote sensing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Thermal remote sensing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Thermal remote sensing is a branch of remote sensing in the thermal infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thermal radiation from ground objects is measured using a thermal band in satellite sensors.

Principles Thermal remote sensing is working on two major laws which are as follows: 1. Stefan–Boltzmann law: Surface temperature of any objects radiate energy and shows specific properties. These properties are calculated by Boltzmann law. 2. Wien's displacement law: Wien's displacement law explains the relation between temperature and the wavelength of radiation. It states that the wavelength of radiation emitted from a blackbody is inversely proportional to the temperature of the black body.

Applications

Thermal remote sensing is used in applications including:

Geothermal exploration Identification of geological units and structures Urban heat islands Soil moisture studies Hydrology Coastal zones Volcanology Forest fires: Thermal remote sensing plays a vital role in the determination of Forest fire based on the principle of identifying fire pixel according to the temperature difference between the energy emitting from the surface and ambient temperature. Coal fires Seismology Environmental modelling Meteorology Intelligence / military applications Heat loss from buildings

Land Surface Temperature (LST)

One of the most important applications of thermal remote sensing in earth sciences is to calculate the Land Surface Temperature (LST). LST is a measurement of how hot the land is to the touch. It differs from air temperature (the temperature given in weather reports) because land heats and cools more quickly than air. LST is a key variable that is required to accurately model the surface energy budge. Thermal remote sensing from satellites to derive land surface temperatures has a long history that can be traced back to the TIROS-II satellite, launched in the early 60s. From the outset certain problems were recognised when deriving temperatures over the land, most notably the low temperatures observed over deserts. To quantify the effects of the atmosphere and the surface (emissivity effects) and, both from theory and experiment, various algorithms developed to derive LST. These algorithms are different in terms of accuracy and application.

Satellites thermal bands The Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor on Landsat 4 and Landsat 5 included a thermal (6th) band. Landsat 8 and Landsat-9 also acquires thermal data in two 10 and 11 bands from Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) utilizes a unique combination of wide spectral coverage and high spatial resolution in the visible near-infrared through shortwave infrared to the thermal infrared regions. The ASTER instruments acquire thermal data in Thermal Infrared (TIR) 90 meter Bands (bands 10-14). The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instrument on US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 9, 10, 11 and 12 had two bands in Thermal Infrared regions (bands 4, 5). Given recent developments in UAVs, thermal images with high spatial and temporal resolutions have become available at a low cost.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Thermal remote sensing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Thermal remote sensing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Thermal remote sensing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Thermal remote sensing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Thermal remote sensing

In research: Thermal remote sensing appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Thermal remote sensing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Thermal remote sensing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Remote sensing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Thermal remote sensing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Thermal remote sensing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Thermal remote sensing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Thermal remote sensing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thermal remote sensing in simple terms?

Why does Thermal remote sensing matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Thermal remote sensing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Thermal remote sensing.