Initiation to remote sensing
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Date
2026
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University of Oum El Bouaghi
Abstract
This pedagogical handout presents a structured introduction to remote sensing and its applications in urban and territorial management. Remote sensing is defined as the measurement of Earth-surface properties from a distance using electromagnetic radiation. The handout follows the full measurement chain: energy source, atmospheric propagation, target interaction, sensing, preprocessing, interpretation and decision-making. It explains the physical basis of electromagnetic radiation, the spectrum, Planck’s and Wien’s laws, atmospheric scattering, absorption and transmission windows. Platforms, passive and active sensors, satellite orbits, and the four key resolutions—spatial, spectral, radiometric and temporal—are compared, with emphasis on their trade-offs. The spectral behaviour of vegetation, water and soil is used to explain indices such as NDVI, NDWI and NDBI, as well as radiometric, atmospheric and geometric correction, image enhancement and colour composites. The document introduces supervised and unsupervised classification, accuracy assessment through confusion matrices, and the integration of raster results with GIS. It also covers change detection, radar and SAR interferometry, LiDAR and elevation models, thermal and hyperspectral sensing. Practical tutorials using QGIS, ENVI and ArcGIS connect theory to reproducible workflows. Case studies show how remote sensing can monitor urban expansion, map floods, analyse urban heat islands and assess crops. The central message is that reliable planning evidence requires appropriate sensor selection, field validation, independent training and reference data, documented image provenance, and honest reporting of accuracy and limitations.
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Keywords
Remote sensing; Applied geomatic; Urban management