SENSOR
BY KONSTANTIN SYLUS J
Contents
• Sensor
• Application of Sensors
• Sensors used in remote sensing satellites
• Sensors used in Indian Satellites
• References
SENSOR
• A sensor (also called detector) is
a converter that measures a physical
quantity and converts it into a signal which
can be read by an observer or by an
instrument.
Application of Sensors
A good sensor obeys the following rules:
• Is sensitive to the measured property only
• Is insensitive to any other property likely to be
encountered in its application
• Does not influence the measured property
Active sensor
• Instrument that itself emits the energy required to illuminate
the target and receives the waves it reflects.
Data recording
• If the satellite is unable to communicate with the terrestrial
station, data is registered onboard and transmitted later.
Passive sensor
• Instrument that receives the waves produced when the target
reflects the Sun’s natural rays.
Energy source
• At the origin of the remote sensing process is an energy
source, for example the Sun, used to illuminate the target.
Natural radiation
• When the sky is clear, the satellite captures the reflection of
the Sun’s rays from the Earth’s surface.
Target
• Surface or object that reflects the Sun’s rays.
Data processing
• Raw data is interpreted and analyzed to extract information about the target.
Data reception
• Raw data reaches the terrestrial station in digital form.
Reflection
• Phenomenon by which natural or artificial waves bounce off the target and
toward the satellite.
Artificial radiation
• When atmospheric conditions hide the Sun’s rays, the active sensor itself
emits radiation waves.
Data transmission
• The sensor transmits raw data, if possible immediately, to a terrestrial
station for processing.
Sensors used in remote sensing satellites
• The Multispectral Scanner
• The Thematic Mapper
• The Microwave Radiometer
• The Synthetic Aperture Radar
• The Panchromatic Camera
• The Panoramic Camera
• The Multi Lens Camera
Multispectral Scanner
• The MSS is a mechanical scanning device that
acquires data by scanning the earth's surface in
strips normal to the satellite motion.
• Many lines are swept simultaneously by an
scanning mirror and reflected solar radiation
detected is monitored in the detector.
• This allows us to monitor several spectral bands
at the same time.
• Extensively used in Landsat series of satellites.
Multispectral Scanner
The Thematic Mapper
• The Thematic mapper is also a mechanical
scanning device as the MSS, but it has improved
spectral, spatial, and radiometric characteristics.
• Whereas MSS of all Landsats scans and obtains
data in one pass only( In the return pass it does not
sense data) the thematic mapper can acquire data
in both the scan directions.
• It is also used in Landsat.
The Thematic Mapper
Microwave Radiometer
• This consist of a microwave antenna and amplifying and
detection electronics.
• As the satellite moves over the earth the MR antenna
picks up the microwaves radiated/Reflected by earth and
the associated electronic payload detects & stores it.
• It is capable of detecting sea surface temperature, ocean
winds, moisture content over the land and the sea etc.
• One such Radiometer ( called SAMIR) was used in
BHASKARA I and II.
Microwave Radiometer
Synthetic Aperture Radar
• The SAR is a radar which simulates a large
antenna aperture using the fact that a satellite is in
motion over the earth and the phenomena of
Doppler Shift.
• As the resolution of a radar has a direct
proportional relation to the Aperture area, the SAR
is able to acquire data at quite high resolution.
• First satellite to carry a SAR on board was Seasat
launched in June 1978.
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Panchromatic Camera
• This is a sensitive camera which is used quite
frequently in recent times.
• Coupled with CCD devices, the camera can
directly convert the images into digital format
which are then beamed directly or after some
on-board processing to earth. Sometimes it is
also called the CCD Camera.
• An example of a CCD camera is the
panchromatic camera carried in IRS 1-D.
Panchromatic Camera
Panoramic Camera
T
The panoramic camera is able to cover a big area in
a single photograph with clear details. However,
due to the fact that the image is being taken over a
larger area introduces distortion due to differing
conditions of the weather in different parts of the
image. Also a geometric distortion is also
introduced due to the constructional features of the
camera. So while the panoramic camera is very
useful for preliminary surveys, it cannot be used
for photogrammetry.
Panoramic Camera
Multi Lens Camera
• This camera has four lenses each of which focuses light on its own film roll.
• Each of these lens assemblies are identical except for the fact that they have
different filters.
• One has a Red Filter, One has a Green, one has a Blue filter, and one has a
Infra Red Filter. We can thus take photographs of exactly the same area on the
ground in four different bands.
These photographs can be viewed in a special viewer in real or false colour or
various combinations of filters to view a particular feature in enhanced clarity.
• This camera is now falling out of favour mainly because A combination of
four identical cameras suitably coupled can perform the same function, also
the technology of multi-spectral scanners have advanced to such an extent that
now they are the preferred instruments for this purpose.
Sensors used in Indian Satellites
• Satellite Microwave Radiometer (SAMIR)
• Two Band T.V. Payload
• Smart Sensor
• LISS-I, II and III
• The Panchromatic Camera
• Wide Field Sensor
• Ocean Colour Monitor
• Very High Resolution RadioMeter
Satellite Microwave Radiometer (SAMIR)
• SAMIR was the payload for BHASKAR I and
II satellites launched in 1979 and 1981.
• They successfully provided data on the sea
surface temperature, ocean winds, moisture
content over the land and sea.
Two Band T.V. Payload
• The Bhaskara satellites I and II had a two band
TV payload for land applications.
• It gave images of earth from a height of 525
Km.
• The data were used in meterology, hydrology,
and forestry.
Smart Sensor
• Rohini Rs-D2, (the sucessor to the failed Rs-
D1) was launched on Apr. 1983.
• It carried a Smart sensor, which was a 2-Band
solid-state device.
• It had the first CCD camera developed in
house.
LISS-I, II and III
• LISS-I (Linear Imaging self Scanner) was a payload for the IRS-1A
satellite. This camera operated in four spectral bands. It operated in a push-
broom scanning mode using a CCD array. Each band used 2 CCD's which
were staggered in the focal plane. It was again used in IRS-1B. It used 7 bit
quantization, and had a swath of 148 Kms. Images of LISS-I were
extensively used in forestry, crop acreage, yeild estimation, drought
monitoring, flood monitoring etc.
• LISS-II was similar to LISS-I, but with higher spatial resolution and smaller
swath. it was on payload in three satellites : IRS-1A, IRS-1B, IRS-P2.
LISS-III is onboard two satellites IRS-1C and IRS-1D. This is a multi-
spectral camera which operates in four bands. It provides color images. Its
images were used widely in the area of agriculture, mapping, crop acreage
etc.
The Panchromatic Camera
• This was carried by IRS-1c and IRS-1D
satellites.
• Pan camera enables the acquisition of images
at the resolution of 5.8 m, which was the
highest resolution offered by a civilian satellite
until recently, when American satellite Ikonos
with a resolution of 1m surpassed it.
• The Pan camera uses CCD's to capture images.
Wide Field Sensor
• IRS-1C, IRS-1D, IRS-P3, which are all second
generation Indian remote sensing satellites, carried the
WIFS sensor.
• The WIFS camera uses an 8 element refractive optics
like in LISS-III.
• Two such cameras are mounted with overlapping
pixels of imaging.
• WIFS data was used in assesment of rabi cropped area,
crop inventory, observation of crop phenology etc.
Ocean Colour Monitor
• IRS-P4, also called Oceansat, carried the
ocean colour monitor, launched on board
PSLV-C1. This payload is meant for
oceanographic applications. The OCM is a
solid state camera operating in the push-broom
scanning mode, using linear array CCD'S as
detectors for generating ocean biological
parameters.
Very High Resolution RadioMeter
• All the INSAT-1 and the INSAT-2, INSAT-3
series communications satellites carry the
VHRR to provide various remote sensing
applications. Since INSAT satellites are
geostationary, VHRR provides round the clock
meteorological earth observations, disaster
warning signals.
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