Satellite imagery

This book was written for students and engineers wishing to understand the basic principles behind the acquisition of optical imagery for Earth observation and the ways in which the quality of the images can be optimised.

Intended both for designers and downstream users, the book begins with a detailed explanation of the physical principles involved when a satellite acquires an optical image and then goes on to discuss image processing and its limits as well as the ultimate performance obtained.

It also covers in depth the problems to be solved when designing and dimensioning observation systems so that the reader can become familiar with the various processes implemented for acquiring an optical image.

The book describes a very wide range of subjects from fundamental physics (radiation, electronics, optics) to applied mathematics (frequency analysis), geometry and technological issues.

It draws on work done over many years by engineers from CNES (the French Space Agency), the IGN (the French National Geographic Institute) and ONERA (the French Aerospace Laboratory) in the field of satellite optical imagery.