ROYAL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND EARTH SCIENCE

(RSEES)

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
[Link]. IN GEOINFORMATICS
ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: CONCEPT OF RESOLUTION

NAME: Fairnando Nongsiej

ROLL NO – 254166007
 CONCEPT OF RESOLUTION

INTRODUCTION

Remote sensing is a technology that involves the acquisition and interpretation of data about the
earth’s surface and atmosphere from a distance. This technology is widely used in various fields,
including environmental monitoring, natural resource management, urban planning, and disaster
management, among others. Remote sensing data is obtained through sensors that are mounted on
satellites, aircraft, or other platforms.

Resolution in remote sensing refers to the level of detail and accuracy of the information that can be
obtained from an image or dataset. In other words, it is the ability of a remote sensing system to
distinguish between objects or features on the Earth’s surface. A working knowledge of resolution is
essential for understanding both practical and conceptual aspects of remote sensing. Our
understanding, or lack of understanding, of resolution may be the limiting factor in our efforts to use
remotely sensed data, especially at coarse spatial resolution.

For scientists with an interest in instrument design and performance, measurement of resolution is of
great significance in determining the optimum design and configuration of individual elements (e.g.,
specific lenses, detectors, or photographic emulsions) of a remote sensing system. The interest
focuses upon understanding image resolution in terms of the entire remote sensing system, regardless
of the interests in specific elements of the landscape, whether the focus concerns soil patterns,
geology, water quality, land use, or vegetation distributions, a knowledge of image resolution is a
prerequisite for understanding the information recorded on the images examined.

Types of Resolution

There are four types of resolution in remote sensing and these four types of resolution in remote
sensing determine the amount and quality of information in an imagery, these include:

• Spatial (what area and how detailed)

• Spectral (what colours-bands)

• Radiometric (colour depth)

• Temporal (time of day/season/year)

[Link] Resolution:

It refers to the size of the smallest feature that can be detected by a satellite sensor or displayed in a
satellite image. It describes how much detail in a photographic image is visible to the human eye.
The ability to “resolve” or separate, small details is one way of describing what we call spatial
resolution. It is usually presented as a single value representing the length of one side of a square.
The spatial resolution of images acquired by satellite sensor systems is usually expressed in meters.
For example, a spatial resolution of 30m means that one pixel represents an area 300 by 30 meters on
the ground. Spatial resolution of the sensor also refers to the size of the smallest possible feature that
can be detected.

Fig. spatial resolution

1.1 High vs. Low Spatial Resolution:

Spatial resolution refers to the size of the smallest object that can be detected by a sensor in an
image, usually expressed as pixel size on the ground. High spatial resolution means that each pixel
represents a smaller area, such as 1–5 meters or even less. This allows for very detailed images where
small features like houses, roads, and trees can be clearly identified. High-resolution imagery is
useful for applications such as urban planning, precision agriculture, military surveillance, and
disaster assessment. However, it often comes with drawbacks like larger data volume, higher cost,
and limited spatial coverage.

In contrast, low spatial resolution imagery has pixels that represent a much larger area, such as 250
meters or 1 kilometer. These images are less detailed, meaning small objects cannot be distinguished.
For example, agricultural fields or small water bodies may not be visible in low-resolution images.
Despite this limitation, low-resolution imagery is valuable for regional and global studies, such as
climate monitoring, vegetation analysis, and oceanographic studies. The advantage is that they cover
large areas at once, are cheaper, and are more readily available.

1.2 Spatial Resolution Examples:

Spatial resolution determines the size of the smallest features that can be detected in an image. The
following are examples of how different spatial resolutions are used for various applications:

Land Cover Classification: High spatial resolution imagery can be used to distinguish between
different land cover types, such as forests, urban areas, and agricultural land. For example, an image
with a spatial resolution of 1 meter can help identify individual trees, buildings, and crops, while an
image with a spatial resolution of 30 meters may only be able to distinguish between broad land
cover types.

Urban Planning: High spatial resolution imagery can be used to map the built environment, including
roads, buildings, and other infrastructure. This information can be used to assess urban growth,
monitor changes in land use, and plan for future development. For example, an image with a spatial
resolution of 0.5 meters can help identify individual buildings and roads, while an image with a
spatial resolution of 5 meters may only show the overall shape and pattern of urban areas.

Natural Resource Management: High spatial resolution imagery can be used to monitor and manage
natural resources, such as forests, wetlands, and coastal zones. This information can be used to track
changes in vegetation cover, detect land use changes, and assess the impact of natural disasters. For
example, an image with a spatial resolution of 10 meters can help identify individual trees, while an
image with a spatial resolution of 100 meters may only show the overall distribution of vegetation
cover.

Emergency Response: High spatial resolution imagery can be used to assess the impact of natural
disasters and other emergencies. This information can be used to identify areas of damage, assess the
extent of flooding or other hazards, and plan for relief efforts. For example, an image with a spatial
resolution of 0.5 meters can help identify individual buildings and roads affected by a disaster, while
an image with a spatial resolution of 10 meters may only show the overall extent of the affected area.
[Link] Resolution:

It refers to the ability of a satellite sensor to measure specific wavelengths of the electromagnetic
spectrum (red, green, blue, NIR, MIR, thermal etc). Certain spectral bands (or combinations) are
good for identifying specific ground features. Different classes of features and details in an image
can often be distinguished by comparing their responses over distinct wavelength ranges. Broad
classes, such as water and vegetation, can usually be separated using very broad wavelength ranges -
the visible and near infrared. Other more specific classes, such as
different rock types, may not be easily distinguishable using either
of these broad wavelength ranges and would require comparison at
much finer wavelength ranges to separate them. Thus, we would
require a sensor with higher spectral resolution. Spectral resolution
describes the ability of a sensor to define fine wavelength intervals.
The finer the spectral resolution, the narrower the wavelengths
range for a particular channel or band.

2.1 Number and Width of Spectral Bands:

Spectral resolution describes a sensor’s ability to capture data in different portions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. It is determined by two key aspects: the number of bands and their
spectral width. Many remote sensing systems collect information across different wavelength ranges,
which are known as spectral bands. When sensors capture data in a few separate bands, they are
called multispectral sensors. These are commonly used for land cover mapping and vegetation
studies. A more advanced type, called hyperspectral sensors, can record data in hundreds of very
narrow bands across the visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared regions of the spectrum. Because of
their high spectral resolution, hyperspectral sensors can detect very fine differences in the way
objects reflect or emit energy. This allows scientists to distinguish between materials or features that
may look similar in regular images, such as different types of vegetation, soil, or minerals. The
greater the number of bands, the more detailed the spectral information available for identifying
materials or surface features.

 Panchromatic- 1 band (black & white)

 Colour – 3 bands (RGB)
 Multispectral- 4+ bands (RGBNIR)
  Hyperspectral- hundreds of bands

The width of spectral bands refers to how narrow or broad each band is. Narrow bands (e.g., 5–10
nm wide in hyperspectral sensors) can detect subtle differences in reflectance, allowing precise
discrimination of vegetation types, minerals, or water quality variations. Wider bands (e.g., 100–200
nm as in many multispectral sensors) provide less spectral detail but allow more energy to be
captured, improving signal strength and reducing noise.

Together, the number and width of spectral bands determine a sensor’s ability to distinguish between
different land cover types and materials. Applications range from basic land use mapping with
multispectral sensors to advanced resource exploration and environmental monitoring with
hyperspectral sensors.

2.2 Spectral resolution Examples:

Spectral resolution refers to the number and width of spectral bands that a sensor can detect. The
following are examples of how different spectral resolutions are used for various applications:

Agriculture: High spectral resolution imagery can be used to monitor crops and vegetation health.
Different spectral bands can be used to detect variations in chlorophyll content, water stress, and
nutrient levels. For example, an image with a high spectral resolution can distinguish between
different types of crops and detect early signs of stress or disease.

Geology: High spectral resolution imagery can be used to map different minerals and rock types.
Different minerals have distinct spectral signatures that can be detected by remote sensing sensors.
For example, an image with high spectral resolution can be used to identify areas of mineral deposits
or geological formations.

Land Cover Classification: High spectral resolution imagery can be used to classify different land
cover types, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Different land cover types have different
spectral signatures that can be detected by remote sensing sensors. For example, an image with high
spectral resolution can distinguish between different types of vegetation and land cover.

Oceanography: High spectral resolution imagery can be used to monitor ocean color and detect
changes in water quality. Different spectral bands can be used to detect variations in chlorophyll,
suspended sediment, and other water quality parameters. For example, an image with high spectral
resolution can detect areas of harmful algal blooms or other water quality issues.