Spatial resolution estimation of CBERS-1 and CBERS-2 CCD cameras

• Published in: International journal of remote sensing Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 604 - 629
• Main Authors: Bensebaa, K, Banon, G. J. F, Fonseca, L. M. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.01.2012
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied geophysics; Biological and medical sciences; cameras; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Techniques; Internal geophysics; remote sensing; satellites; sensors (equipment); Teledetection and vegetation maps; South America; Brazil; Far East; Asia; China; satellites; Estimation; Flight; Imager; resources; Specification; measurement sensor; Method; Natural; Result; Earth; Field; image quality; CCD camera; System performance; Modulation; Parameter; spatial resolution; transfer functions; Multispectral scanner; methodology; direction; high resolution
• ISSN: 1366-5901; 0143-1161; 1366-5901
• DOI: 10.1080/01431161.2010.545840

Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) is a means of characterizing sensor spatial resolution and is used to measure image quality during in-flight commissioning phase. Another important parameter is the Effective Instantaneous Field of View (EIFOV), which is also used to measure system performance. This work describes three approaches to estimate the effective spatial resolution of Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) cameras aboard China–Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS)-1 and CBERS-2. These approaches use artificial and natural targets to estimate the EIFOV in across-track and along-track directions. CBERS-1 and CBERS-2 have the same specifications and carry three sensors: the Wide Field Imager (WFI), High-Resolution CCD Camera and Infrared Multispectral Scanner (IRMSS). The results obtained from these methods are compared with those of preflight measurements. The results have shown that the effective spatial resolutions in the across-track direction, for both CBERS-1 and CBERS-2 cameras, are worse than those in the along-track direction. Furthermore, it has been observed that their spatial resolutions are not consistent with the camera specifications in both directions. Although the methodologies presented here have been used to estimate the spatial resolution of CCD cameras aboard CBERS satellite, they can also be used to estimate the spatial resolution of similar sensors.