Module 8: Thermal Infrared

This week in Photo interpretation we learned about thermal energy.  Thermal energy is heat emitted from objects.  Thermal energy waves are much larger than the waves we have previously discussed.  Due to the size of the waves there is very little scattering, but the range of measurable waves is limited by the atmosphere, by elements like water.  Stefan-Bolzmann law states radiation increases with temperature. 

In lab this week we worked between ArcMap (my ArcPro was not cooperating) and ERDAS.  We learned to create composite multispectral images in both ERDAS with layer stack and ArcMap with the composite band tool.

The map deliverable shows the difference in imagery displaying different bands in different colors.  I chose to look for three features recognizable by me: Interstate 10, Fairhope Pier, and the Grand Hotel.  Fairhope Pier is really only discernible in the True Color display and then only when zoomed very close.  The interstate gets lost under what I think are clouds in the Mobile Bay Estuary, but at least a part can be seen in the thermal layer (I think).  The False Color shows clearly the areas of high vegetation in dark red wich are also the lighter areas on the Thermal display as those are cooler than the urban areas.  The Grand Hotel grounds showed up very well in the False Color.