INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

MODUL B
REMOTE SENSING

Task 2: Remote Sensing and Its Applications

LECTURER:
Prof. Dr. HARTONO, DEA, DESS

By:
Firdani Asri

(15/389607/PMU/08566)

SEPTEMBER 2015
Several definitions and discussion about Remote Sensing

Floyd F. Sabins in his book “Remote Sensing: Principles and Interpretation” 1978,
defines remote sensing as collecting and interpretating information about a target without
being in physical contact with the object.

Paul J. Curran in “Principles of Remote Sensing” 1985, defines remote sensing as the
use of electromagnetic radiation sensor to record images of the environment which can
be interpreted to yield useful information.

Lillesand and Kiefer in their book “Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation” 1987,
define remote sensing as an art: Remote sensing is the science and art of obtaining
information about an object, area, or phenomenon through the analysis of data acquired
by a device that is not in contact with the object, area, or phenomenon under
investigation.

Generally, remote sensing refers to the activities of recording/observing/perceiving

(sensing) objects or events at far away (remote) places. In a more restricted sense,
remote sensing usually refers to the technology of acquiring information about the earth's
surface (land and ocean) and atmosphere using sensors onboard airborne (aircraft or
balloons) or spaceborne (satellites, space shuttles) platforms. (http://www.crisp.nus.
edu.sg/~research/tutorial/intro.htm)

The advantages of RS for some aspects: regional inventory or risk mapping

1. Large area coverage data set of uniform quality and rapid data acquisition.
2. Repetitive coverage allows monitoring of dynamic themes.
3. Inaccessible areas like volcanic eruption, fire in a forest, flashflood in remote
area, etc. can be covered by remote sensing techniques to study the intensity of
disaster.
4. Relatively cheap and rapid method of acuiring up to date information over a large
geographical area.
5. Easy to manipulate with the computer, and combine with other geographic
coverages in the GIS.

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Some examples about that: what, where, how, result (title/topic, objective, method,
result)

Title : Assessment of Agricultural Drought in Rajasthan (India) Using

Remote Sensing Derived Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and
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Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)

Objective : To identify the spatio-temporal extent of agricultural drought over

Rajasthan using remote sensing based Vegetation Condition Index
(VCI) and assesses the performance of VCI by comparing the
estimates with meteorological drought indicator SPI, RAI and yield
based index YAI.

Method : 1. In order to monitor the onset, duration and spatial extent of

agricultural drought, long term NDVI has been used in the pre-
sent study, using NOAA-AVHRR data:
NDVI = (NIR – VIS) / (NIR + VIS) ... (1)
2. The following VCI equation was applied on the final NDVI
database: Vegetation Condition Index (VCI)
VCI = (NDVIj – NDVImin) / _NDVImax – NDVImin) * 100 ...(2)
3. Long term monthly rainfall data (1983–2004) were collected from
Meteorological Department of India and SPI was estimated to
observe the spatio-temporal extent and intensity of meteorological
drought event.

...(3)
Where, α>0 is a shape parameter, β>0 is a scale parame-
ter, x is the precipitation amount and Γ(α) is the gamma function.
4. Yield anomalies of the crops were calculated using the following
formula: YAI = (Y - µ) / σ ...(4)
Where, YAI = Yield Anomaly Index, Y = Crop Yield, µ = Long term
average yield, and σ = Standard Deviation
5. To calculate of Rainfall Anomaly Index:
RAI = (R - µ) / σ ...(5)
Where, RAI = Rainfall Anomaly Index, R = Rainfall, µ = Long term
average yield, and σ = Standard Deviation

Result : It was found that NOAA-AVHRR NDVI derived VCI estimates can be
useful for monitoring onset, duration and spatio-temporal extent of

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 agricultural drought. The VCI was found less than 35% over most of
the areas of Rajasthan in 2002 indicating drought related stress during
that year. While comparing the estimates of the meteorological based
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI)
and Yield Anomaly Index (YAI), the results were found identical with
the outcome of VCI. In order to validate the VCI based estimates, the
correlation between VCI and yield of major rain-fed crops was
analyzed which indicates a strong positive correlation (rP0.75) exists
between them. It also proves and justifies the usefulness of remote
sens- ing and GIS technique for identifying drought related stress in
rain-fed crops. Unlike the meteorological data available from sparsely
distributed meteorological stations, remote sensing based index VCI
can be successfully used for delineating the spatio-temporal extent of
agricultural drought.

Title : Development of Land Moisture Estimation Model Using MODIS

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Infrared, Thermal, And EVI to Detect Drought at Paddy Field

Objective : To estimate soil/land moisture condition in the agricultural land,

especially in paddy field based on combination of visible-infrared
bands, vegetation index, and land surface temperature from the
MODIS data.

Method : 1. Using MODIS data, the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) was
calculated using blue, red, and NIR bands with formula as follows:
EVI = 2.5 * (ρ1 – ρ2)/(1+ ρ2 + 6* ρ1 – 7.5 * ρ3) ...(1)
Where ρ1, ρ2, ρ3 are red, NIR, and blue band reflectances of
MODIS data.
2. The Land Surface Temperature (LST) can be obtained directly from
MOD11 (one of MODIS data products).
3. Land moisture condition (LM) were derived by two models based
on Stepwise Regression. The derived model is as follow:
LM = -16.8 – 0.934 R2 + 15.9 EVI/LST ... (2)

Result : Combination of NIR Reflectance (R2), EVI and LST of MODIS data
were the best parameters to estimate land moisture with the equation
of LM = - 16.8 - 0.934 R2 + 15.9 EVI/LST (SE=9.61233, R2=76.2%).

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 Land Moisture can be used as one indicator to detect of drought in the
paddy field and early growing season of paddy crop. The drought
condition in a paddy planting area had soil moisture no less than 25
%. On the other hand, the early growing season of paddy crop could
be started when the paddy field had more than 25% of soil moisture.

1
D. Dutta, A. Kundu, N. Patel et al. The The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and
Space Science Vol. 18 No.1 June 2015: 53-63.

2
Dede Dirgahayu Domiri. International Journal of Remote Sensing and Earth Sciences
Vol.10 No.1 June 2013: 47-54.

References

Curran, Paul J. 1985. Principles of Remote Sensing. Longman Inc.: New York.

http://www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/~research/tutorial/intro.htm

Lillesand, T.M. and Kiefer, R.W. 1987. Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, Second
Edition. John Wiley and Sons Inc.: Toronto.

Sabins, F. Floyd. 1978. Remote Sensing: Principles and Interpretation. Freeman

Company: US of America.