ERDAS Imagine - Remote Sensing & EMR

This week I learned about ERDAS Imagine.  This is a remote sensing application for GIS. The ERDAS Imagine program allows us to manipulate raster images to extract information. In this lab we were using a raster of Washington State to classify the types of land cover such as vegetation, water, bare earth, etc. To do this, initially we began with some calculations of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The chart below shows the electromagnetic spectrum:

There were a few formulas involved such as Maxwell’s wave theory: C = λν and Planck Relation: Q = hν 

But the real point of this lab was to learn about ERDAS Imagine and how to process a raster image to understand the types of land cover depicted. A very useful feature was the ability to switch between TM False Natural Color and TM False Color IR. The False Natural Color gives the bare ground a pink color which adds a sharp contrast making it easier to discern from the green forested areas.

Overall this was a fun Lab but I am sure I will need more practice with ERDAS Imagine to feel as comfortable with it as I do with ArcMap. Below is the map I created for this week's Lab. It shows an area in Washington State that I have re-classified by using the Inquiry Box and manipulating of the ERDAS Attribute Table.