Course Air Photo Interpretation PDF
Imagine you have been asked to investigate how temperature changes in a large body of water such as the Chesapeake Bay affect shellfish populations. Or imagine that you have been asked to perform an analysis of how land use in your region has changed over the past decade. Such projects are very real and very important on a regional scale, and the results of very similar environmental research are often used as the basis for policy decisions by local and state governments.
As you consider such a task, numerous questions come to mind. What kinds of measurements would you need to make? How often would you need these measurements? How much area should your research cover? What tools are available for such a research project? What are the costs involved? In many cases the answers to these questions identify a need for measurements and observations on temporal (time) and spatial scales that are impossible for a single person (or even a well organized group of researchers) to meet. Additionally, the manpower and the funding is often not available to carry out such research using traditional methods of field research.
These problems are increasingly faced by researchers by turning to remote sensing as a cost effective tool for performing environmental research on local and regional scales. Remote sensing is not a new concept and has been used extensively in global environmental research over the past several decades. However, recent advances in remote sensing technologies, lower cost, and greater availability of remotely-sensed data has made it a much more attractive solution for local and regional governments, schools, and universities interested in performing environmental research that may have real impact on their communities
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| Course Air Photo Interpretation PDF |