Remote sensing in the thermal infrared (TIR) spectral region is highly complementary to other remote sensing techniques, such as reflective remote sensing (VIS-SWIR) or microwave remote sensing (RADAR). TIR remote sensing measures the energy that is emitted by the studied objects themselves. By analysing the TIR data we can gain insight on the objects' temperature as well as composition. These parameters are crucial when studying phenomena such as land and sea surface temperature, (geo-) thermal heat fluxes, crop health, urban heat islands and mineralogic composition of soils, rocks and drill cores.
In this course we will take a multi-application look at thermal remote sensing. The students will learn how TIR remote sensing works in theory and practice. They will get instructed on several state-of-the-art TIR instruments in Faculty ITC's GeoScience Laboratory and will get the chance to experiment and practice with the instruments themselves.
The course contains a component where the students will define a small research question, and design an experiment to answer that question using TIR data or instruments. As this course runs parallel with research proposal writing of the M-GEO programme, a cross-fertilization between the two courses is possible and encouraged.