Duration
30h Th, 30h Pr
Number of credits
| Master in aerospace engineering (120 ECTS) | 5 crédits | |||
| Master in space sciences (120 ECTS) | 6 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This Course provides an introduction to spaceborne remote sensing, with emphasis on matter-radiation interactions that determine the observables accessible in each wavelength domain.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
1)Introduction : what is remote sensing?
2)Observables and types of remote sensing data and instruments, brief history of spaceborne remote sensing (Earth and solar system bodies)
3)Reminder on electromagnetic radiation
Nature of electromagnetic radiation (wavelike vs. corpuscular), matter-radiation interactions, radiometrci and photometric quantities, detection of electromagnetic radiation.
4)Passive observation of solid Earth surface
Interaction mechanisms in VIS/IR, observables, sensors.
Thermal radiation, thermal properties of the solid surface, observables, sensors.
The microwave tail of the Planck curve, the observables, passive microwave radiometers.
5)Active observation of the Earth surface (radars)
Interaction mechanisms, observables, real aperture radar, synthetic aperture radar, altimeter, scatterometer.
6)Observation of oceans
Physical properties o the ocean surface, cartography of the ocean topography using altimetry, determination of surface winds using scatterometry, temperature mapping, phytoplankton mapping.
7)Observation of the atmosphere
Structure and properties of the Earth atmosphere, matter-radiation interactions, temperature, pressure and chemical composition sounders.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
The Course is accessible to any Bachelor in Sciences or Applied Sciences.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The student shall be asked to read a paper from the scientific literature (typically a review paper) and to provide a summary.The aim is 1) to confront the student with the often less securing context of the scientific and professional literature; 2) to develop autonomous learning and training skills in new domains; 3) to develop his ability his critical mind when approaching domains still in evolution.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
One weekly 2 hours lectures
Recommended or required readings
- Copy of Powerpoint presentation materials. These slides are updated each academic year, and will be made available via the student portal before each lecture. - These materials are self-contained, however the references of the textbooks used in the course prepartion shall be provided to the students, without any obligation to consult them.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination comprising 2 questions, prepared by the student with the help of his lecture nores, than presented to the examinator for discussion.The emphasis shall be put, less on the student's restitution capabilities than on the acquired maturity and training.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
None