INTRODUCTION TO REMOTE SENSING
GOG 385/GOG 584/PLN 551

Intro -- Course Outline -- Requirements --  Lecture and Labs -- Topics -- Terms

COURSE OUTLINE                                               

GOG 385/584/PLN551: Introduction to Remote Sensing FALL  2000

Dr. F. Henderson
Phone: 442-3912
Office ES 211
Office Hours: 1:00 to 2:00 MW and by appointment

Labs:  URL of ERES site:  http://eres.ulib.albany.edu/eres/
            Link to:  GIS/Remote Sensing Lab

TEXT: Lillesand and Kiefer, REMOTE SENSING AND IMAGE INTERPRETATION, Fourth Edition (2000), John Wiley and Sons.

Lab Assistant: 
Lab hours and Assistant office hours: Announced in class

Lab Equipment: 1) ruler; 2) colored pencils; 3) drafting tape; 4) hand magnifier--5X or better; 5) herculine or mylar; 6) acetylsalicylic acid

Hand magnifier--available at camera stores or camera supply areas of many large discount retail stores

COURSE REQUIREMENTS 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS GOG 385:

Two mid-term exams Exam I 20%
Exam II 20%
Final Comprehensive Exam 20%
Lab Exercises 20%
Quizzes 20%

COURSE REQUIREMENTS GOG584/PLN551 

Two mid-term exams Exam I 25%
Exam II 25%
Final Comprehensive Exam 25%
Lab Exercises 25%

APPROXIMATE EXAM DATES
EXAM I 18 October (Wednesday)
EXAM II November 20 (Monday)
FINAL EXAM December 15 (Friday) 2:30-5:30pm

INTRODUCTION
The class is scheduled to meet MW from 10:10 to 12:10. All lab work will have to be completed outside of class during the times the IMC (Interactive Media Center in the University Library) is open.

There are a limited number of images and photos for each of the laboratory exercises. You should manage your time so that you are not attempting to complete the exercises immediately before class. It is strongly suggested that you allow time to complete the labs with consideration of the number of your colleagues who will also be working with the same imagery and data. It is your responsibility to find time to complete the assignments.

You should purchase the specified lab equipment, especially the hand magnifier as it will be used in exams as well as lab exercises. The remaining items (i.e., ruler, colored pencils, drafting tape--NOT MASKING TAPE, herculine) may be shared if so desired. It is not necessary but may students find that a four-function calculator is handy in finishing some of the lab assignments and for selected exam questions.

Note that QUIZZES constitute 20% of your grade. These quizzes are unannounced and cannot be made-up at a later date. If you are absent you will receive a zero for that quiz grade. (Quizzes are optional for 584/551 students. They are for your review of the concepts and terms covered to that point in the course.)

You should purchase the text as soon as possible and begin to read. Keep current with the lectures and lab content.

READ and REREAD the material during the course for optimum results. Each step is predicated on an understanding of preceding topics. Not every chapter and topic will receive equal time in class.

LECTURE AND LABS:
Generally, there will be two lectures per week. There will be eight labs in all. All lab exercises will be due as assigned unless otherwise notified in class. YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO DEVOTE MORE TIME TO THE LAB EXERCISES AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES. As you gain expertise and your interpretative skills evolve, the exercises will be more involved and explore the interrelationships of Remote Sensing principles and spectral response patterns or terrain features.
The eight lab exercises can be found by accessing the UALBANY Homepage on the web. Go to University Library and click on the Electronic Reserves. There, you will be asked for the course number and instructor. The course number is 385Hend. The password will be given to you in class. All 8 labs are there for you to download and print at your leisure. The lab schedule is provided in later parts of the syllabus.
URL of ERES site:  http://eres.ulib.albany.edu/eres/
Other materials for the lab exercises will be housed in the University Library Interactive Media Center. This facility is in the basement of the library ULB 41. You will check out the necessary material to complete the lab; you may have to check out materials for only one question at a time due to the nature of the lab exercise. Be certain to allow time for this procedure.
The library has provided guidelines for you to determine if each of the labs questions and components are available. These will be distributed and/or discussed in class. The library assistants may be unfamiliar with your requirements and the course so be patient and assist them.

No extensions will be given to announced and listed lab completion dates.


THE UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CHEATING AND DISHONESTY IS STRICTLY ADHERED TO IN THIS COURSE. IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT AS TO THE CONTENTS OF THIS POLICY--CONSULT YOUR STUDENT HANDBOOK. THIS POLICY APPLIES TO ALL LAB EXERCISES, QUIZZES, AND EXAMS. Experience has shown that dishonesty does occur at this university (even in geography courses!). If such nefarious activity is detected, all parties participating in such act (borrower and lender) will receive the grade of E for the COURSE! 

NO INCOMPLETES FOR THE COURSE WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT WRITTEN RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES OR DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES AS APPROPRIATE.

TERMS:
The terms and items listed below are provided to assist you in the onerous task of assimilating and retaining an awareness of the field of remote sensing.

TOPICS
APPROXIMATE SEQUENCE OF LECTURE TOPICS AND READINGS

CHAPTERS 1; 2; 3; 4

SEP06 Introduction: the field of Remote Sensing

SEP11 Fundamentals continued/The Electromagnetic Spectrum/Photogrammetry

SEP13 Photogrammetry/Film Factors/Black and White Photography (lab 1)

SEP18 Image Quality/Resolution(s)/Contrast-Dynamic Range

SEP20 Resolution-Resolution-Resolution (lab 2/lab 1 due)

SEP25 Interpretation Principles-analog but digital too

SEP27 Image Analysis Principles/Color Theory (lab 3/lab 2 due)

OCT02 NO CLASS

OCT04 NO CLASS

OCT09 NO CLASS

OCT11 Color Theory/Reflective Infrared (lab 4/ lab 3 due)

OCT16 Color Infrared Interpretation/Thematic Mapping

OCT18 EXAM I

OCT23 Thematic Mapping and Image Classification

CHAPTERS 5; 6; and 8 (omit chapter 7)

OCT25 Thermal Infrared Imagery/Radiometry (lab 5/lab 4 due)

OCT30 Multispectral Scanners

NOV01 Multispectral Scanners

NOV06 LAB 6 (lab 6/lab 5 due)

NOV08 Digital Image Analysis 

NOV13 Remote Sensing Applications

NOV15 Digital Image Analysis (lab 7/lab 6 due)

NOV20 EXAM II

NOV22 NO CLASS 

NOV27 Remote Sensing Applications/Data Sources 

NOV29 Satellite Systems/Radar--LAB 8 (lab8/lab 7 due)

DEC04 Radar

DEC06 Radar

DEC11 High Resolution and Hyperspectral Scanners (lab 8 due)

DEC13 Mysteries of Geoscience Remote Sensing-Societies and good reading

DEC15 FINAL EXAM 3:30-5:30