Geography 5100/6100 Aerial Photograph Interpretation (Fall 2005, 3 units)

Lecture: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:40-5:00 PM, OSH 174

Web page: http://nature.berkeley.edu/~bingxu/UU/UtahGeo5100.6100.Web.htm

Instructor

Bing Xu OSH 211 585-3833 bing.xu@geog.utah.edu Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30 - 3:30 PM or by appointment

Holidays 10/6, 11/24

Instruction ends 12/8

Prerequisite:

GEOGR 1200 or upon instructor’s approval.

Course Objectives:

An introduction to the principles and practices of aerial photography, photogrammetry, photo interpretation and remote sensing for use in geography, resource management, and environmental protection.

1. To insure everyone has a knowledge of

a. the properties and characteristics of aerial photographs,

b. the characteristics of films for aerial photography, and

c. the function(s) of filters used with the available films.

2. To insure everyone has a knowledge of

1. the geometrical properties of vertical and oblique aerial photographs and how they relate to the features portrayed on a photograph,
2. the mathematics, methods and instruments involved in making basic photogrammetric measurements from vertical aerial photographs, and
3. basic principles of stereoscopy as it pertains to vertical aerial photography.

3. To insure everyone has a knowledge of

1. the basic elements and methods/approaches in the interpretation of panchromatic, infrared, color and color infrared aerial photographs,
2. the elements of interpretation to acquire both general and specific information from the different types of photographs indicated above, and
3. principles used in interpreting basic land use/cover information from aerial photographs.

4. To insure that everyone has a knowledge of:

a. which characteristics of land cover types can be mapped/measured from remote sensing

b. various techniques available for mapping and measuring those land cover types, and

c. potential ways for evaluating the accuracy of those land cover maps

5. To insure that everyone has a knowledge of:

a. the type of remote sensing needed to fulfill a user's objectives,

b. locating existing remote sensing data meeting the objectives, and

c. steps required to obtain new aerial photography or remote sensing data, if necessary.

6. To insure that everyone has a knowledge of

a. basic concepts on non-photographic remote sensing,

b. general principles of digital image processing for remote sensing applications, and

c. future applications of remote sensing to geography and related fields.

Lab topics include: (1) Stereoscopy and Basic Photo Interpretation; (2) Point Transfer, Photo Preparation, Type Mapping; (3) Area Estimation, Scale Measurements; (4) Vertical Measurements; (5) Photo-Orientation, Map Reading and Photo – Map Coordinate Transformation; (6) Surfing the World-Wide Web in Search for Data; (7) Digital Image Display and Enhancement; (8) Image Manipulation, Tracing, Generating Segments, Correction; (9) Image Classification.

Text:

Lillesand T. M. and Chipman J. W., 2003. Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation. Wiley, John & Sons. Or

Jensen J., 2000. Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perspective, Prentice Hall.

Gong P. Remote sensing and image analysis : http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gong/textbook

Evaluation and Grading Policies:

Written and lab assignments: 25 points each X 10 = 250 points

Midterm exam(10/13): 150 points

Second midterm exam (12/8): 200 points

Total: 600 points

Exams will include questions from lectures, the assigned readings as well as guest lectures. There will be short answer questions and also problems to solve. A general guide to grading that we approximately follow but will be adjusted according to the class overall performance:

A ≥ 90%

B ≥ 80% and <90%

C ≥ 70% and <80%

D ≥ 60% and <70%

F <60%

ADA Statement

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.

All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.

Tentative Schedule

Week	Date	Tuesdays	Date	Thursdays	Assignments
1			8/25	Course overview
2	8/30	Early history of aerial photography and remote sensing and their applications	9/1	Fundamental concepts in photography and non-photographic remote sensing
3	9/6	A remote sensing process	9/8	Reflectance Topographic correction	Assignment 1 – Radiation
4	9/13	Camera systems Oblique and vertical photography	9/15	Multi-band aerial photography and color theory	Assignment 2 – EMR Aspects of Remote Sensing Pythagorean theorem Field of view
5	9/20	Process of film and color photograph	9/22	Visual interpretation by field measurements and digital photoecometric methods	Assignment 3 – Color and colorIR film and photo processing
6	9/27	Natural and false color perception and Photo Interpretation elements	9/29	Map scale and photo scale	Assignment 4 – Map and photo scale
7	10/4	Midterm review	10/6	Holiday
8	10/11	Orthographic and perspective projection; area measurements	10/13	Midterm exam
9	10/18	GIS and remotely sensed data sources	10/20	Stereopair photo orientation	Assignment 5 – Point scale and average scale
10	10/25	Relief displacement	10/27	Stereoscopy and photo interpretation
11	11/1	Parallax	11/3	Vertical measurement	Assignment 6 – Photo orientation and vertical measurement
12	11/8	Height derivation	11/10	Review on photogrammetry
13	11/15	Photo and image interpretation; an example	11/17	Classification scheme and photo interpretation keys; Supervised classification	Assignment 7&8 – Photo and image interpretation
14	11/22	Unsupervised classification Demo - Minimum distance and maximum likelihood classifiers, Image of U of U, Berkeley, Fremont	11/24	Holiday	Assignment 9 – Introduction to image processing Assignment 10 – Classification
15	11/29	Visual interpretation	12/1	Final review
16	12/6	Questions & Answers; Exam on visual interpretation	12/8	Second midterm exam