GEOG/GEOL 455

Geog/Geol 455

Geog/Geol 455
Introduction to Remote Sensing

Lecture: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30 - 3:20, Room 151 Brooks Hall
Laboratory: Tuesdays, or Thursdays, 3:30 - 6:30, 419 Brooks Hall

Instructor: Dr. Tim Warner

Office: 218 White Hall

Office Hours: Tuesdays: 11:30 to 12:30, Thursdays 8:45 to 9:45, or by appointment

Email: Tim.Warner@mail.wvu.edu
Telephone: 293-4725

Teaching Assistant: Jeff Dunn

Office: 144 Brooks Hall

Class Schedule

Under construction

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*Alternative laboratory exercise for geology students.

Required Text:
Lillesand, T. W. and R. W. Kiefer, 2004. Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, 5^th ed. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 763pp.

Laboratory:

1. Lit search, week 1
2. Airphoto and satellite image interpretation, weeks 3-5
3. Digital image analysis in the Geology and Geography pc teaching laboratory, weeks 6-14.

Policies:

It is essential that you attend class, and you should also keep current with assigned readings from the text.
All assignments, laboratory exercises, etc. are due at the start of class.
For each day, or part of a day, that material is late there will be a 25% penalty. This penalty will be enforced strictly, unless you provide an official university excuse.
To pass this class you must complete all assignments. This applies even if the material is so late that no credit is given (see item 2, above).
If you cannot make class, lab, quiz or exam, or turn in homework, contact me in advance of the deadline.

Critical evaluations of published papers:
For each of the first five weeks of the semester you should critically review a published scientific paper that deals primarily with remote sensing or photo-interpretation. These reviews should be geared to helping you choose, and explore, your term paper topic.

Term paper:
A term paper on an aspect of remote sensing should be handed in during the last week of the semester. During that week you will also do a short (4 minute) in-class presentation of your paper to your peers.

Grading and Important Dates:

Participation/attendance/All work handed in on time 50
Total 550

Course Philosophy and Overview

Remote sensing is the study of the earth using photographs and images acquired from aircraft and satellites. It is a rapidly changing field, with many different applications. In this course you will gain an overview of the subject of remote sensing, with a special emphasis on principles, limitations and possibilities.

The course has four parts - lectures, laboratory exercises, critical reviews of published papers, and a term paper. In the lectures you will learn about the interaction of electromagnetic radiation and matter, photo-interpretation and image analysis. In the laboratory exercises you will learn how to use these principles to interpret photographs and how to use a computer to rectify, enhance and classify satellite images. You will learn the power, as well as the limitations, of remote sensing through these exercises. The critical reviews and the term paper are closely linked aspects of the course. The critical reviews are designed to lead you into the term paper. The reviews and the term paper emphasizes critical thinking and polished, structured writing.

This class emphasizes broad principles, but you need to make the subject personally relevant through exploring a subject of direct interest to you, such as a particular application, remote sensing issue or method. As already mentioned, remote sensing is a rapidly changing field, with much of the current information only available in scientific journals. If you learn how to use the library, to read critically, and how to synthesize what you find, you will easily be able to update your knowledge whenever you need to. Such skills will be valuable not just in your student career, but in your future professional career after you leave WVU.

Graduate students are encouraged to take the follow-on Advanced Remote Sensing Course (Geog/Geol 755). In that course we will focus on the most recent remote sensing issues and methods. An important part of the Advanced course is a term project, where you will try out some of the ideas developed in these classes.

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Social Justice Statement

West Virginia University is committed to social justice. I support that commitment and expect to maintain a positive learning environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination. Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national origin. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.

If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700).

Days of Special Concern

WVU recognizes the diversity of its students and the needs of those who absent themselves from class during Days of Special Concern, which are listed in the Schedule of Courses. Students should notify the instructor by the end of the second week of classes or prior to the first Day of Special Concern, whichever is earlier, regarding Day of Special Concern observances that will affect their attendance. As the instructor of this course, I will make reasonable accommodation for tests or field trips that a student misses as a result of observing a Day of Special Concern, so long as I am notified in advance as specified above.