Arthur P. Cracknell - Böcker

Accurate monitoring and prediction of agricultural droughts helps manage them, minimize losses attributed to them, and mitigate their extreme forms, which some countries face even today. This book presents the basic concepts of agricultual drought, various remote sensing techniques used to monitor them, and efforts by international organizations to check them.

Climate change, a familiar term today, is far more than just global warming due to atmospheric greenhouse gases including CO2. In order to understand the nature of climate change, it is necessary to consider the whole climatic system, its complexity, and the ways in which natural and anthropogenic activities act and influence that system and the environment. Over the past 20 years since the first edition of Understanding Global Climate Change was published, not only has the availability of climate-related data and computer modelling changed, but our perceptions of it and its impact have changed as well. Using a combination of ground data, satellite data, and human impacts, this second edition discusses the state of climate research today, on a global scale, and establishes a background for future discussions on climate change. This book is an essential reference text, relevant to any and all who study climate and climate change.Features Provides a thought-provoking and original approach to the science of climate. Emphasises that there are many factors contributing to the causation of climate change. Clarifies that while anthropogenic generation of carbon dioxide is important, it is only one of several human activities contributing to climate change. Considers climate change responses needed to be undertaken by politicians and society at national and global levels. Totally revised and updated with state-of-the-art satellite data and climate models currently in operation around the globe.

The Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is the next-generation multispectral imaging instrument to fly on US operational, polar-orbiting meteorological satellites. VIIRS will gather data across 22 spectral bands and be used to create products for a variety of applications including weather forecasting and climate change studies. VIIRS consolidates the best features of heritage instruments, including near-constant resolution and nighttime visible imagery. Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite: A New Operational Cloud Imager provides the first comprehensive guide on the design and exploitation of cloud data collected by the VIIRS.Expert researchers Hutchison and Cracknell discuss the fundamental principles necessary to interpret surface and cloud features in multispectral meteorological satellite imagery. They begin by tracing the evolution of satellite meteorology and detailing previous instruments on which VIIRS is based. Next, they examine the user requirements for VIIRS data products and the studies used to convert these requirements into sensor design parameters. The focus then shifts to the principles and techniques used to exploit VIIRS cloud data. The book ends with a comprehensive discussion of automated processes to retrieve 3-dimensional cloud fields from a variety of algorithms, some of which were developed for the VIIRS.Supplying material for both experienced researchers and those new to the field, Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite is a must-read for anyone interested in evaluating and using the data gathered from the VIIRS project.

The Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is the next-generation multispectral imaging instrument to fly on US operational, polar-orbiting meteorological satellites. VIIRS will gather data across 22 spectral bands and be used to create products for a variety of applications including weather forecasting and climate change studies. VIIRS consolidates the best features of heritage instruments, including near-constant resolution and nighttime visible imagery. Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite: A New Operational Cloud Imager provides the first comprehensive guide on the design and exploitation of cloud data collected by the VIIRS.Expert researchers Hutchison and Cracknell discuss the fundamental principles necessary to interpret surface and cloud features in multispectral meteorological satellite imagery. They begin by tracing the evolution of satellite meteorology and detailing previous instruments on which VIIRS is based. Next, they examine the user requirements for VIIRS data products and the studies used to convert these requirements into sensor design parameters. The focus then shifts to the principles and techniques used to exploit VIIRS cloud data. The book ends with a comprehensive discussion of automated processes to retrieve 3-dimensional cloud fields from a variety of algorithms, some of which were developed for the VIIRS.Supplying material for both experienced researchers and those new to the field, Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite is a must-read for anyone interested in evaluating and using the data gathered from the VIIRS project.

Since the launch of the first of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRRs) in 1978, the data from these instruments has used for a wide range of non-meteorological applications. In this book, the author describes satellite system, AVHRRs, control of the spacecraft, and data- recovery arrangements. The book covers processing of the data to extract useful environmental information. The applications of the data to marine problems, based primarily on the study of sea-surface temperatures from the thermal-infrared channels of the instrument, are considered, as well as the study of vegetation and a whole variety of other land-based and hydrological applications.

As people come to realize the importance of the environmental impact of human activities, the study of the coastal zone has become increasingly important. In addition, new environmental legislation at regional, national, and international levels will doubtless highlight the importance of a fuller understanding of the coastal areas. Together, these factors have led to substantial new requirements for the acquisition and monitoring of relevant environmental information and for a fuller understanding of the processes at work-work for which the use of remote sensing techniques is essential.To meet the requirements of this emerging discipline, Physical Processes in the Coastal Zone: Computer Modelling and Remote Sensing integrates basic physical processes with extensive information from remote sensing systems such as those on aircraft and spacecraft. It covers the physical processes that occur in the coastal zone, an area in which 60% of the world's population live. Written by international experts, the text provides a comprehensive, graduate-level introduction and overview that is suitable both for those entering the field and for those already working within it.

Addressing the need for updated information in remote sensing, Introduction to Remote Sensing, Second Edition provides a full and authoritative introduction for scientists who need to know the scope, potential, and limitations in the field. The authors discuss the physical principles of common remote sensing systems and examine the processing, interpretation, and applications of data. This new edition features updated and expanded material, including greater coverage of applications from across earth, environmental, atmospheric, and oceanographic sciences. Illustrated with remotely sensed color images from satellites and aircraft, it also outlines data acquisition and analysis.New to this edition: · Details of satellite systems launched since the first edition · Sections on airborne lidar for land surveys and airborne gamma ray spectroscopy · A section on interferometric synthetic aperture radar · Expanded discussions of filtering of images · Updates to a number of recent applications, particularly some that make use of global datasets Suitable for students and professionals with some background in the physical sciences, this book comprehensively surveys the basic principles behind remote sensing physics, techniques, and technology.

Climate change, a familiar term today, is far more than just global warming due to atmospheric greenhouse gases including CO2. In order to understand the nature of climate change, it is necessary to consider the whole climatic system, its complexity, and the ways in which natural and anthropogenic activities act and influence that system and the environment. Over the past 20 years since the first edition of Understanding Global Climate Change was published, not only has the availability of climate-related data and computer modelling changed, but our perceptions of it and its impact have changed as well. Using a combination of ground data, satellite data, and human impacts, this second edition discusses the state of climate research today, on a global scale, and establishes a background for future discussions on climate change. This book is an essential reference text, relevant to any and all who study climate and climate change.Features Provides a thought-provoking and original approach to the science of climate. Emphasises that there are many factors contributing to the causation of climate change. Clarifies that while anthropogenic generation of carbon dioxide is important, it is only one of several human activities contributing to climate change. Considers climate change responses needed to be undertaken by politicians and society at national and global levels. Totally revised and updated with state-of-the-art satellite data and climate models currently in operation around the globe.

Experts report the state of the art in the study of global climate change using remote sensing techniques. Topics covered include the principles of remote sensing, the management of data, data requirements in climatology, the principles of modelling, the input of data into models, and the application of remote sensing to the atmosphere, ice and snow, seas and land. The book is highly topical given the current great public and scientific awareness of possible man-made changes to the climate. It is essential reading for anyone new to the field, and invaluable as a reference work to those already working in it.

The advent of Earth-observing satellites has revolutionised the gathering of oceanographic data and the visualisation of oceanographic processes. This course was for postgraduate students and young post-doctoral research workers and covered the instruments and satellite systems used to gather visible, infrared and microwave data over the oceans. It also covered the uses of these various types of data to provide information about ocean colour, biological productivity, surface temperature, currents and circulation patterns, near-surface windspeeds, bottom topography and the geoid.