By
John Pickle,
Museum of Science, Boston
Earth
orbiting satellites have dramatically expanded our observations
and understanding of our ever-changing planet, creating the
field of global systems science. Satellite imagery is one
of the most powerful tools available to global systems scientists
who are striving to understand Earth’s changing ecosystems
and the consequences of land-use policies and practices. The
visualization and analysis tools provided in "Interpreting
Satellite Images" (ISI) activities may be applied to
a wide array of digital imagery (satellite images to pictures
taken by students) and graphical data available on the Internet.
The
six activities developed in ISI are separated into three units.
Each unit builds upon the previous sequence, and the order
should be followed:
- Unit
1—Explore critical concepts in color, imagery, and
light;
- Unit
2—Develop skills in manipulating and analyzing satellite
imagery; and
- Unit
3—Apply the concepts and skills to interpreting satellite
imagery.
Extension
materials are included if students need additional material
to explore concepts or develop skills. The materials are designed
so students can explore images of their selection or creation
independently and quantitatively, ultimately supporting all
nine books in the Global Systems Science series.
| Unit
1 |
Unit
2 |
Unit
3 |
| Goal:
Explore concepts in color, imagery, and light |
Goal:
Develop skills in manipulating and analyzing satellite
imagery |
Goal:
Apply the concepts and skills to interpreting satellite
imagery |
| Activity
1: Three-Color Light |
Activity
4: Displaying Invisible Light |
Activity
6: Satellite Image Analysis |
| Activity
2: Pictures and Colors |
Activity
5: Using Analysis Tools |
|
| Activity
3: Exploring and Measuring Light |
|
|
The six activities in this module are designed to isolate and then integrate
key concepts and skills in order to learn to manipulate and interpret satellite
images. Software programs (see summary chart that follows) and hands-on
activities have been designed so students develop concrete understanding
of color, light, and imagery. Seven software programs directly support
these activities. An additional six programs either provide extension activities
for students to continue exploring concepts or skills or are advanced analysis
tools that may be applied to an large, generic body of digital imagery
available on the Internet or created with a digital camera.
Software
Summary Chart
| Software |
Summary |
| MixingColor |
Compare
how colors mix using pigments and light |
| TriColor |
Explore
the colors created by mixing varying intensities of red,
green, and blue light |
| Game_TriColor |
Test
your ability to identify the intensities of the red, green,
and blue components of a color on the computer screen.
Colors are created by playing another person or against
the computer. |
| Report_TriColor |
A
report on how well students identify the intensities or
red, green, and blue for 10 randomly generated colors
is generated on-screen, in a text file, and printed for
teacher or student use. |
| PixelView |
Change
the size of pixels for any digital picture (jpeg, gif,
tiff, or pict)„called pixelation |
| ColorPicture |
Separate
the red, green, and blue color components of any digital
picture (jpeg, gif, tiff, or pict) |
| SplitColors |
Advanced
manipulation of the red, green, and blue color components
of any digital picture (jpeg, gif, tiff, or pict) |
| ImageAnalysis |
Using
advanced tools, analyze the spatial and color information
within any digital image (jpeg, gif, tiff, or pict) |
| MergePictures |
Combine
time-lapse pictures onto one image |
| FalseColor |
Similar
to ColorPicture, manipulate the color display components
of a Landsat image |
| SurfaceType |
Using
simplified tools, analyze the spatial and spectral information
within a standard color composite Landsat image |
| VegetationAnalysis |
Using
advanced tools, study the spatial and spectral information
within a time-series of Landsat images |
| LandSatAnalysis |
Using
advanced tools, analyze the spatial and spectral information
within a standard color composite Landsat image |
TOP
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