GEO4515 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Earth surface

Course content

This course covers the practical and theoretical principles of remote sensing for observing the Earth from air and space. The course's primary focus is monitoring Earth's surface processes from satellites. The main parts of the course are the (i) physical principles behind remote sensing, in particular electromagnetic radiation, (ii) sensors, platforms and orbital configurations used in Earth observation, and (iii) methods for analyzing the data obtained. The course is closely coordinated with GEO4512 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere, and both courses can be combined.?

Learning outcome

After completing the course, you are able to

• explain the properties of the visible, infrared and microwave parts of the electromagnetic spectrum
• compare various platforms for remote analysis and image sensors
• analyze remotely sensed data of Earth's surface processes and evaluate results from such data
• communicate results from your own remote sensing project in oral and written form
• reflect on which remote sensing techniques and analysis methods are suitable for different applications of monitoring with a focus on the Earth's surface processes.
• write?a project report and adapt it to a given topic

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other master's degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

The courses GEO3515 and GEO4515 have a joint admission with a joint capacity of 20 students.

If there are more than 20 applicants the applicants will be ranked after the following categories:

1. Students admitted to the following programme options (not prioritized order):

   • Environmental Geosciences, Geohazards, and Geomatics (programme option)

   • Water and Climate (programme option)

   • Geografi (studieretning) (bachelor)

   • Geofysikk og klima (bachelor)

   • Geomorphology and Geomatics (programme option) (being phased out) (master)

2. Other programme students at the Department of Geosciences, UiO

3. Exchange students at bachelor's and master's level and other bachelor's- and master's-level students at The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, UiO

4. Single-course students

Applicants will be ranked by the number of ECTS credits within each category: all applicants within category 1 are ranked before applicants in category 2. If there are space limitations in the course, available places will be given to students selected randomly among those with the same amount of ECTS credits.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with GEO3515 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Earth surface.
• 10 credits overlap with GEG2240 ¨C Introduction to remote sensing (continued).
• 5 credits overlap with GEO3512 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere.
• 5 credits overlap with GEO4512 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere.

Teaching

Teaching consists of 2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of computer exercises per week. There is a mandatory presentation of a project and submittal of a project report (approx. 10 pages) where the topic is given. The project report counts towards the final grade.

The course has some common lectures with GEO4512. Both courses can be taken at the same time.

Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).

We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.

Examination

• A project presentation must have been approved before the final examination.
• A written project report counts 30% towards the final grade. The project report must have been passed before the final examination.
• A final written examination counts 70% towards the final grade.
• The written project report and the final written examination must be passed separately?in order to pass the course.

Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.

When writing your exercises, familiarize yourself with the rules for using?sources and citations. Breach of these rules may lead to suspicion of attempted cheating.

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:

• GEO3515 ¨C Remote Sensing of the Earth surface
• GEG2240 ¨C Introduction to remote sensing (continued)

Examination support material

Approved calculator

Language of examination

Courses taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English.

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.