Abstract

Earth observation remote sensing is on the threshold of a new era in multi- spectral imaging instrument technology. The availability of reliable large linear detector arrays and the promise of large area detector arrays covering the spectrum from the visible through the short wave IR will bring us operational imaging spectrometer instruments on both aircraft and space platforms during this decade. Although these instruments should in principle provide the earth sciences with the ability to directly identify surface materials from remote sensing platforms, the associated data rates and volumes threaten to overwhelm our abilities to efficiently analyse and interpret the resulting imagery.

© 1983 Optical Society of America