Key Terms

• Resolution:
  How detailed the image is. There are 3 main kinds:

  • Spatial Resolution: How small an object you can see. (High-res = sharper detail)

  • Temporal Resolution: How often a satellite revisits the same spot.

  • Spectral Resolution: How many "colors" or bands of light it can detect.

• Swath:
  The width of the area the satellite captures in one pass. Wide swath = more coverage, but usually lower detail.

• Georeferencing:
  Matching image data to real-world coordinates so you know exactly where you're looking.

• Orthorectification:
  Fancy word for correcting distortions in the image (caused by terrain or satellite angle) so everything lines up properly on a map.

• Pan-sharpening:
  Combining a low-res color image with a high-res black-and-white image to get a crisp, high-res color image.

• Mosaicking:
  Stitching multiple satellite images together to create one big seamless image of a region.

• Cloud-Free Composite:
  An image built from many snapshots over time to remove clouds and gaps — like a patchwork of the best parts.

• Radiometric Correction:
  Adjusting the image to account for differences in lighting, sensor noise, or atmosphere. Makes it more accurate.