School of Geography

Module Outline: Earth Observation

Module Code: F81268

Academic Year: 2015-2016

Semester: Semester 2

Module Convenor: Semester 2: Doreen Boyd

Contact information: Moodle; Sir Clive Granger building, Room c10; Doreen.Boyd@nottingham.ac.uk
Additional Academic Staff: Professors Stuart Marsh and Giles Foody
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the module is to provide an introduction to the field of Earth
Observation. This involves the students developing a theoretical understanding of the subject and
gaining practical experience of remote sensing data collection and image analysis. The module builds
on the Earth Observation components of the level 1 modules, Introduction to GIS and Earth and
Environmental Dynamics, and forms a key part of GIS teaching provision. Students gain a clear
understanding of the field and a strong working knowledge of image processing software and/or field
radiometry hardware and provides them with the knowledge to undertake dissertations in this area.
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge and understanding
Understanding the physical processes involved in Earth observation
Understanding the basic nature of remotely sensed images
Appreciating the range of applications for which Earth observation is used routinely
Appreciating the latest research developments in the field of Earth observation
Intellectual Skills
Synthesising information and recognising relevance
Developing sustained and reasoned arguments
Identifying appropriate approaches for given problems
Recognising the benefits of emerging developments in Earth observation
Professional Practical Skills
Working knowledge of image processing software
Experience of radiometry
Transferable Skills
Practical problem solving
Logical, sequential thinking
Computational skills
Graphic, map presentation
Written communication

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Programme of sessions, Timing and Location:

SEMESTER 2, WEDNESDAY 9:00-11:00AM (Lecture and Practical). Please check each week.
Date
9am - 10am
10am 11am
27th Jan 2016 Lecture (A42)
Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)
Physical Principles: consolidation Seeing the Invisible
3rd Feb 2016 Lecture (A42)
Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)
Earth System Science
Spatial Modeller Practical
10th Feb 2016

Lecture (A42)
Population and Pixels

17th Feb 2016

Lecture (A42)
Geology
Lecture (A42)
Remote Sensing Vegetation:
Introduction
Lecture (A42)
Remote Sensing Vegetation:
stress
Lecture (A42)
Remote Sensing the Oceans
Lecture (A42)
Remote Sensing the
Atmosphere (including fire)
EASTER VACATION

24th Feb 2016

2nd Mar 2016

9th Mar 2016
16th Mar 2016

20th April 2016

27th April 2015

Lecture (A42)
Correction and Validation
Lecture (A42)
Revision

Staff
DB
DB

Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)

Where are you? Estimating Population
practical
Lecture (A42)
Geology
Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)
Vegetation Indices Practical

DB

Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)

Vegetation Monitoring Practical

DB

Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)

Bathymetric Mapping Practical
Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)
Fire, fire, catching fire Practical

DB

SM
DB

DB

EASTER VACATION
Practical (B29 Ebdon Lab)
Correction and Validation
Lecture (Splint Lab)
Revision

DB
DB

Assessment information and Submission Deadline:

Type of assessment
e.g. exam, group project,
poster, presentation, essay

Weighting

Additional Information
e.g. number of pages, word limit or number of
questions to be answered on exam paper etc

WebCT
Drop Box
Required
Yes / No

Hand in
Deadline

Exam

100%

1.5 hours; answer 2 from 5 questions

Summer
2016

Resources: Moodle, David Ebdon Laboratory, image processing software, remotely sensed image
data, field radiometers.
Core Reading List:
Aplin, P., 2010, Using remotely sensed imagery, in Key Methods in Geography, 2nd edn, N. Clifford, S.
French and G. Valentine (eds), Sage, 291-308.
Boyd, D.S., 2004, Physical basis of remote sensing in geoinformatics, in Encyclopaedia of Life Support
Systems, P.M. Atkinson (ed), UNESCO/EOLSS Publishers [http://www.eolss.net].
Campbell, J. and Wynne, R.H., 2011, Introduction to Remote Sensing, 5th edn, Taylor & Francis.
Jensen, J.R., 2005, Introductory Digital Image Processing: a Remote Sensing Perspective, 3rd edn,
Prentice Hall.
Lillesand, T.M., Kiefer, R.W. and Chipman, J.W., 2008, Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, 6th
edn, John Wiley.
Mather, P.M. and Koch, M., 2011, Computer Processing of Remotely-Sensed Images, 4th edn, John
Wiley.
Warner, T.A., Nellis, M.D. and Foody, G.M. (eds), 2009, The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage.
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Additional Reading List:

Aplin, P., 2004, Remote sensing: land cover, Progress in Physical Geography, 28, 283-293.
Aplin, P., 2005, Remote sensing: ecology, Progress in Physical Geography, 29, 104-113.
Aplin, P., 2006, On scales and dynamics in observing the environment, International Journal of Remote
Sensing, 27, 2123-2140.
Boyd, D.S., 2009, Remote sensing in physical geography: a twenty-first-century perspective, Progress
in Physical Geography, 33, 16.
Boyd, D.S. and Danson, F.M., 2005, Satellite remote sensing of forest resources: three decades of
research development, Progress in Physical Geography, 29, 1-26.
Boyd, D.S., Entwistle, J.A., Flowers, A.G., Armitage, R.P. and Goldsmith, P.C., 2006, Remote sensing
the radionuclide contaminated Belarusian landscape: A potential for imaging spectrometry?
International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27, 1865-1874.
Canty, M.J., 2010, Image Analysis, Classification, and Change Detection in Remote Sensing : with
algorithms for ENVI/IDL, 2nd edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 441.
Comber, A.J., Fisher, P.F. and Wadsworth, R.A., 2005, You know what land cover is but does anyone
else?an investigation into semantic and ontological confusion, International Journal of Remote
Sensing, 26, 223-228.
Congalton, R.G. and Green, K., 2009, Assessing the Accuracy of Remotely Sensed Data: Principles and
Practices, 2nd edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 183.
Coppin, P., Jonckheere, I., Nackaerts, K., Muys, B. and Lambin, E., 2004, Digital change detection
methods in ecosystem monitoring: a review, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 25, 15651596.
Cracknell, A.P. and Hayes, L., 2007, Introduction to Remote Sensing, 2nd edn, CRC Press.
Foody, G.M., 2008, Harshness in image classification accuracy assessment, International Journal of
Remote Sensing, 29, 3137-3158.
Huete, A., Didan, K., Miura, T., Rodriguez, E.P., Gao, X. and Ferreira, L.G., 2002, Overview of
radiometric and biophysical performance of the MODIS vegetation indices, Remote Sensing of
Environment, 83, 195-213.
Johannsen, C.J. and Daughtry, C.S.T., 2009, Surface reference data collection, in Warner, T.A., Nellis,
M.D. and Foody, G.M. (eds), The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage, 244-256.
Kellndorfer, J.M. and McDonald, K.,C., 2009, Active and passive microwave systems, in Warner, T.A.,
Nellis, M.D. and Foody, G.M. (eds), The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage, 179-198.
Kerekes, J.P., 2009, Optical sensor technology, in Warner, T.A., Nellis, M.D. and Foody, G.M. (eds),
The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage, 95-107.
Kerr, J.T. and Ostrovsky, M., 2003, From space to species: ecological applications of remote sensing,
Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 18, 299-305.
Lu, D. and Weng, Q., 2007, A survey of image classification methods and techniques for improving
classification performance, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 28, 823-870.
Matthews, M.W., Bernard, S. and Winter, K., 2010, Remote sensing of cyanobacteria-dominant algal
blooms and water quality parameters in Zeekoevlei, a small hypertrophic lake, using MERIS,
Remote Sensing of Environment, 114, 2070-2087.
McCoy, R.M., 2005, Field Methods in Remote Sensing, Guildford Press.
McDonald, R.A., 1995, Success for space reconnaissance, a look into the Cold War, and a revolution for
intelligence, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 61, 689-720.
Milton, E.J., Schaepman, M.E., Anderson, K., Kneubuhler, M. and Fox, N., 2009, Progress in field
spectroscopy, Remote Sensing of Environment, 113, S92-S109.
Montes-Hugo, M.A., Weidemann, A., Gould, R., Arnone, R., Churnside, J.H. and Jaroz, E., 2011, Ocean
color patterns help to predict depth of optical layers in stratified coastal waters, Journal of
Applied Remote Sensing, 5, DOI: 10.1117/1.3634055.
Myneni, R.B., Hall, F.G., Sellers, P.J. and Marshak, A.L., 1995, The interpretation of vegetation indices,
IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 33, 481-486.Steven, M.D., Malthus, T.J.,
Baret, F., Xu, H. and Chopping, M., 2003, Intercalibration of vegetation indices from different
sensor systems, Remote Sensing of Environment, 88, 412-422.
Nagendra, H., 2001, Using remote sensing to assess biodiversity. International Journal of Remote
Sensing, 22, 2377-2400.
Song, C., Woodcock, C.E., Seto, K.C., Lenney, M.P. and Macomber, S.A., 2001, Classification and
change detection using Landsat TM data: When and how to correct atmospheric effects?, Remote
Sensing of Environment, 75, 230-244.
Steven, M.J., Malthus, T.J., Baret, F., Xu, H. and Chopping, M.J., 2003, Intercalibration of vegetation
indices from different sensor systems, Remote Sensing of Environment, 88, 412-422.
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Sutton, P., Roberts, D., Elvidge, C. and Baugh, K., 2001, Census from Heaven: An estimate of the
global human population using night-time satellite imagery, International Journal of Remote
Sensing, 22, 3061-3076.
Tatem, A.J., Goetz, S.J. and Hay, S.I., 2008, Fifty years of Earth-observation satellites, American
Scientist, 96, 39098.
Teeuw, R., Aplin, P., McWilliam, N., Wicks, T., Kervyn, M. and Ernst, G.G.J., 2009, Hazard assessment
and disaster management using remote sensing, in Warner, T.A., Nellis, M.D. and Foody, G.M.
(editors), The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage, 44658.
Townshend, J.R.G., 1992, Land cover, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 13, 1319-1328.
Tso, B. and Mather, P.M., 2009, Classification Methods for Remotely Sensed Data, 2nd edition, CRC
Press, Boca Raton, pp. 356.
Turner, W., Spector, S., Gardiner, N., Fladeland, M., Sterling, E. and Steininger, M., 2003, Remote
sensing for biodiversity science and conservation, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 18, 306-314.
Van der Meer, F., van der Werff, H. and de Jong, S.M., 2009, Pre-processing of optical imagery, in
Warner, T.A., Nellis, M.D. and Foody, G.M. (eds), The SAGE Handbook of Remote Sensing, Sage,
229-243.
Vannier, C., Vasseur, C., Hubert-Moy, L. and Baudry, J., 2011, Multiscale ecological assessment of
remote sensing images, Landscape Ecology, 26, 1053-1069.
Verburg, P.H., Neumann, K. and Nol, L., 2011, Challenges in using land use and land cover data for
global change studies, Global Change Biology, 17, 974989.

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