ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book reviews some literature that attests to the role of human factors in remote sensing, and some research that helps to specify cognitive processes in a way that is pertinent to remote sensing. It explores the point that mathematical analyses of terrain ultimately hinge on questions of meaning and perception. The book shows that a considerable amount of research is needed to specify the perceptual knowledge of experts. It outlines morphometric representation of the ground surface and describes selected results of an experiment designed to explore some of the important issues. The book examines some research on the ability of people to discriminate objects depicted by light amplification. It focuses on the experts’ perception of dynamics, and the displays and information processing systems that support the perception of dynamics.
