ABSTRACT
A digital satellite image consists of a grid of numbers. Data organized in a grid cell format are called raster data. Sometimes students confuse spatial resolution with image scale. Remote sensing detectors are electronic devices that are sensitive to radiation. Several different detectors are needed to cover a wide range of wavelengths. In remote sensing, the term spatial resolution refers to the fineness of detail visible in an image. Spectral resolution refers to the width across the electromagnetic spectrum that the remote sensing instrument is detecting. Radiometric resolution refers to the ability of a remote sensing system to record many levels of values. Temporal resolution also generally increases at higher latitudes due to significant sidelap between consecutive satellite passes. Each satellite system has advantages and disadvantages; the most appropriate satellite imagery depends on the objectives of the natural resource manager.
