Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Lesson 1: Radiative Sources and Signatures

    • Basic Source Types

    • Band Radiation from Gases

    • Atomic vs Molecular Gas Emission

    • Continuum Energy

    • Temperatures

    • Surface Interaction – Reflectivity

    • Reflectivity Spectral Dependence

    • Surface Transmission

    • General Trends

    • Complex Objects

    • Radiative Signatures

    • Targets with Unique TEMPORAL Signatures

    • Targets with unique SPATIAL signatures

    • Targets with unique SPECTRAL signatures

    • Targets with unique ANGULAR signatures
  • 2

    Lesson 2: Atmospheric Effects

    • Atmospheric Effect

    • Absorption

    • Atmospheric Absorption

    • Atmospheric Gas Absorbers

    • Infrared Absorption

    • Absorption Across the Spectrum

    • Atmospheric Windows

    • Scattering

    • Types of Scattering

    • Effects of the Direction of Scattering

    • Many Types and Sizes of Scattering Particles

    • Scattering Variability

    • Transmission through the Atmosphere

    • Atmospheric transmission decreases rapidly with:

    • What Do We See?

    • Emission

    • Scintillation
  • 3

    Lesson 3: Optics

    • Introduction

    • The Purpose of Optics

    • What is a Lens?

    • How Does a Lens Work?

    • How Do Mirrors Image?

    • Lens vs Mirrors

    • Optics: Collector of Energy

    • Sparse Arrays

    • Imaging Limitations
  • 4

    Lesson 4: Detectors & FPA's

    • Classes of Detectors

    • Thermal Detectors

    • Photon Detectors

    • Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs)

    • FPA Characteristics

    • The Size of an Individual Detector Matters: Ground Pixel Size

    • Ground Pixel Size Example

    • Spatial Resolution

    • Spatial Resolution (NIIRS)
  • 5

    Lesson 5: Spectral Bandpass & Filters

    • Optical System Elements

    • Transmission Properties of Optical Materials

    • Typical Optical Materials

    • Wavelength Effects on Transmission of Example Optical Materials

    • Surface Reflection

    • Polished Metal Mirrors

    • Bandpass Limiting Filters

    • Filter properties

    • Common Filter Types – Selective Absorption Filters

    • Common Filter Types – Interference Filter

    • Thin Film Interference

    • Summary of the Results

    • Soap Bubble
  • 6

    Lesson 6: Electro-Optical Sensor Imaging Modes

    • Types of Imaging Sensor

    • Types of Scans

    • Staring Imaging Sensor Concept

    • Staring Sensor Properties

    • Staring Sensor FPAs

    • Staring Sensor Footprint

    • Staring Sensor Field of View

    • Staring Sensor Field of View Example

    • Staring Sensor Field of Regard

    • Linear Pushbroom Scan Imaging Concepts

    • Footprint, FOV, and Field of Regard

    • Cross-Track Scan Imaging Concepts

    • Cross-Track Scan Sensor Properties

    • Footprint, FOV, and Field of Regard
  • 7

    Lesson 7: Calibration

    • Need for Calibration

    • Calibration Activities and Rationale

    • Calibration Types

    • Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration

    • Sensor Spectral Calibration

    • In-Scene Calibration

    • Results of Poor Calibration

    • Why Calibration?
  • 8

    Lesson 8: RADAR Imaging Properties

    • SAR Image Interpretation

    • SAR Characteristics Affect Analysis

    • Surface Returns

    • Radar Penetration Example

    • Shadow

    • Layover

    • Foreshortening

    • Ground Range vs. Slant Range
  • 9

    Lesson 9: Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) Imaging

    • What is SAR?

    • What is Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)?

    • Why do we need Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)?

    • How SAR Works

    • Effective Beam Width Comparison

    • Effective Beam Comparison

    • Speckle

    • Moving Antennas - Advantages and Disadvantages

    • Stripmap Mode SAR

    • Spotlight Mode SAR
  • 10

    Lesson 10: SAR Examples and Collection Modes

    • RadarSat 2

    • Orbital Parameters and Coverage

    • Properties

    • Collection Modes

    • Other Radar Imager Characteristics

    • Sensor Trends
  • 11

    Lesson 11: SAR Applications & Image Products

    • SAR Applications

    • SAR Analysis

    • Dynamic Imaging (DI)
  • 12

    Lesson 12: Ground Moving Target Indicator Concepts

    • What is GMTI?

    • History of GMTI

    • Doppler Theory

    • Wave Motion – Moving Object

    • What Doppler Tells Us

    • Uses of Doppler Radar

    • Uses of GMTI

    • Clutter and Doppler

    • The Doppler Waveform

    • Summary – Selecting PRF

    • Resolution Issues

    • Revisit Rate

    • Coverage Gaps

    • Weather Effects

    • Other Anomalies
  • 13

    Final Exam

    • Geospatial Analysis Exam

About the instructor

Co-founder | iSight RPV Services

Nathanial Leben

Nate Leben, a University of North Dakota commercial aviation graduate, has been in the aviation industry for over 20 years with more than 10 years specifically pertaining to UAS as an instructor and evaluator pilot for General Atomics. A strong advocate for safe and effective UAS operation in the NAS, he brings real-life experience operating in congested airspace amongst other unmanned and manned aircraft that he learned while flying in different areas throughout the United States and in theater - to include Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and others. Since graduating from UND, Nate has gone on to finish his Master of Arts in Diplomacy with a focus in International Conflict Management. He also served honorably in the Air National Guard for over 10 years.

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