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This section is intended to provide a basic knowledge and understanding about the various aspects of remote sensing and how these tools are being used at the Center for Space Research. For simplicity, the following discussions are broken into the two types of sensors systems (active and passive) used in remote sensing .
A passive sensing system senses the reflected or emitted radiation of a target (which occurs naturally when the target reflects sunlight or emits thermal energy). These types of sensors are multispectral scanners, radiometers, and spectrometers. The majority of passive systems that are used for remote sensing applications operate in the optical, infrared, and thermal infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An active sensing is one in which the sensor emits an energy source to illuminate the target. The most common active remote sensing system is radar imagery but also include microwave radiometry, altimetry and scatterometry. Most active systems operate in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum which makes them capable of penetrating the atmosphere under virtually all conditions.
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