processes. We do so by providing citations that generally fall within several
application areas that we believe are most critical for illustrating the virtues of
TIR data and associated analysis methods.
3.2 SOME BACKGROUND ON NASA TIR SATELLITE
INSTRUMENTS
Evaluation of Earth’s radiation energy balance has been a primary design function of
the meteorological and other Earth-sensing satellites since the launch of Explorer VII
in 1959 (Diak et al., 2004). There has been considerable progress in estimating
components of the land surface energy balance from orbit, particularly beginning with
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Landsat series of
satellites carrying the Thematic Mapper (TM) instrument first launched in 1984
and its successors. The TM sensor aboard Landsat 4 and 5 had spectral bands
positioned between 0.45 and 12.5 mm in the electromagnetic spectrum. Six of these
bands are in the visible and reflective infrared wave bands of the electromagnetic
spectrum (0.45–2.35 mm), and there is one TIR spectral band in the 10.40–12.5-mm
wave band range. All of the bands except for the TIR band have a spatial resolution of
30 m; the TIR has 120 m spatial resolution. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper+
(ETM+), which was launched onboard Landsat 7 in 1999, has the same spectral band
configuration as the TM except the TIR band has a spatial resolution of 60 m. Landsat
8 launched in February 2013 has a sensor that is equivalent to the ETM+ both in
spectral bandwidth and spatial resolution, except for the TIR band, which has a spatial
resolution of 100 m.
1
The collection of TIR data from space has been further augmented via the launch
of the NASA Terra and Aqua missions in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Terra carries
five sensor instruments, including the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer (ASTER), both of which have capabilities for imaging in TIR wavelengths. MODIS has multiple TIR bands, as does ASTER. The MODIS TIR bands
are in the ranges 3.1–4.0 and 10.7–12.2 mm, and ASTER’s are in the range 8.1–
10.9 mm. The NASA Aqua mission also carries a MODIS instrument. Terra collects
data twice daily at approximately 10:30 AM and 10:30 PM local time, while Aqua
collects data twice daily, at approximately 1:30 AM and 1:30 PM local time.
MODIS TIR data have a spatial resolution of 1km while ASTER thermal data are
collected at 90 m spatial resolution. In-depth information on Terra and Aqua can be
obtained at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html and http://aqua
.nasa.gov/index.php, respectively.
One recently launched (December 2011) joint NASA/NOAA (National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration) mission that also offers TIR capabilities is the
1 For complete information on the Landsat series of satellites, see http://landsat.usgs.gov/about_ldcm.php.
Additional information on Landsat 8, known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) prior to
launch, can be accessed at http://ldcm.nasa.gov/.
36
THERMAL INFRARED REMOTE SENSING FOR ANALYSIS OF LANDSCAPE
application areas that we believe are most critical for illustrating the virtues of
TIR data and associated analysis methods.
3.2 SOME BACKGROUND ON NASA TIR SATELLITE
INSTRUMENTS
Evaluation of Earth’s radiation energy balance has been a primary design function of
the meteorological and other Earth-sensing satellites since the launch of Explorer VII
in 1959 (Diak et al., 2004). There has been considerable progress in estimating
components of the land surface energy balance from orbit, particularly beginning with
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Landsat series of
satellites carrying the Thematic Mapper (TM) instrument first launched in 1984
and its successors. The TM sensor aboard Landsat 4 and 5 had spectral bands
positioned between 0.45 and 12.5 mm in the electromagnetic spectrum. Six of these
bands are in the visible and reflective infrared wave bands of the electromagnetic
spectrum (0.45–2.35 mm), and there is one TIR spectral band in the 10.40–12.5-mm
wave band range. All of the bands except for the TIR band have a spatial resolution of
30 m; the TIR has 120 m spatial resolution. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper+
(ETM+), which was launched onboard Landsat 7 in 1999, has the same spectral band
configuration as the TM except the TIR band has a spatial resolution of 60 m. Landsat
8 launched in February 2013 has a sensor that is equivalent to the ETM+ both in
spectral bandwidth and spatial resolution, except for the TIR band, which has a spatial
resolution of 100 m.
1
The collection of TIR data from space has been further augmented via the launch
of the NASA Terra and Aqua missions in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Terra carries
five sensor instruments, including the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer (ASTER), both of which have capabilities for imaging in TIR wavelengths. MODIS has multiple TIR bands, as does ASTER. The MODIS TIR bands
are in the ranges 3.1–4.0 and 10.7–12.2 mm, and ASTER’s are in the range 8.1–
10.9 mm. The NASA Aqua mission also carries a MODIS instrument. Terra collects
data twice daily at approximately 10:30 AM and 10:30 PM local time, while Aqua
collects data twice daily, at approximately 1:30 AM and 1:30 PM local time.
MODIS TIR data have a spatial resolution of 1km while ASTER thermal data are
collected at 90 m spatial resolution. In-depth information on Terra and Aqua can be
obtained at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html and http://aqua
.nasa.gov/index.php, respectively.
One recently launched (December 2011) joint NASA/NOAA (National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration) mission that also offers TIR capabilities is the
1 For complete information on the Landsat series of satellites, see http://landsat.usgs.gov/about_ldcm.php.
Additional information on Landsat 8, known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) prior to
launch, can be accessed at http://ldcm.nasa.gov/.
36
THERMAL INFRARED REMOTE SENSING FOR ANALYSIS OF LANDSCAPE