Topic outline

  • General

    Note: Final examination can be taken on 12.12.2022. See at the end of the page. 


    Course Telegram group for Q&A and collaboration: Join

    Online lecture and workshop: Join

    (The primary contact teaching form is on-site lecture. However, I will do my best to broadcast, record and distribute lecture videos.)



    Objective of the course

    Space is increasingly important vantage point which provides overview of planetary scale processes. Much of the remote sensing is done by using microwave instruments, radars and radiometers. This Earth Observation Instrumentation course gives detailed overview of latest microwave remote sensing instrumentation and advanced imaging techniques, which are used to map our home planet. Main focus is on spaceborne instruments and data provided by satellites, such as Copernicus Sentinel 1, TanDEM-X, ICEYE radars and SMOS radiometer.  

    After taking the course, the student will be able to work with microwave satellite data. Download the data, preprocess, apply SAR interferometry  and simple polarimetry techniques and interpret the results. 


    Content of the course

    • Basics of microwave imaging and theoretical background
    • Electromagnetic radiation in microwave region. Pro
    • Remote sensing with microwave radiometers, spaceborne and groundborne.
    • Microwave emission and absorption
    • Properties of natural targets
    • Types of radiometers, radiometer technology
    • Radiometer applications
    • Remote sensing with spaceborne and airborne radars
    • Scattering and reflection of electromagnetic waves.
    • Scatterometer, Radar, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
    • Imaging techniques: Polarimetry, Interferometry
    • SAR mage processing and interpretation
    • Future concepts and small satellite instruments
    • Microwave remote sensing in climate change monitoring

    Teaching

    The course consists of weekly lectures and weekly homeworks. 

    Assessment  

    Assessment of the course comprises of workshop and homework assessment, and written examination (to be updated in the beginning of the course


    Course textbook

    The course is partly based on, and we recommend the wonderful book by Fawwaz T. Ulaby and David G. Long, "MICROWAVE RADAR AND RADIOMETRIC REMOTE SENSING". The book has also rich selection of background material available at: http://mrs.eecs.umich.edu/start_here.html

    Book Cover

    Aalto University students can read the electronic copy of the book HERE.

    Main teacher

    Jaan Praks
    Assistant Professor 
    jaan.praks@aalto.fi 
    Room: 2153 (TUAS)
    Phone:+358504205847 

    Link to last year course



    • Not available unless: You belong to L01 (SISU)
      Quiz icon
      Midterm exam (can be taken also later) Quiz

      The midterm examination is an online quiz. The quiz can be taken on 17.10.2022 between 10:00 - 16:00. Once opened, you have 90 minutes to answer as many questions as you can. All answered questions are submitted automatically when the quiz closes. All material is allowed.  Total amount of points is 35. In the end of the course similar type of examination is arranged for second part of the material. 

      Topics:
      Electromagnetic waves
      Blackbody radiation
      Radiometers
      Radiometer measurements

    • Forum icon
      Announcements Forum
    • Not available unless: You belong to L01 (SISU)
      Quiz icon
      Final examination Quiz

      The  final examination is an online quiz. The quiz can be taken on 12.12.2022 between 10:00 - 16:00. Once opened, you have 90 minutes to answer as many questions as you can. All answered questions are submitted automatically when the quiz closes. All material is allowed.  Total amount of points is 40.  

      Topics:
      Electromagnetic waves
      Radar
      SAR
      SAR Interferometry
      SAR polarimetry


    • Quiz icon
      Retake of mid term examination Quiz