Abstract :
In the first part of this tutorial paper, we survey the physical basis of radiometry – the measurement of electromagnetic energy, and the physical quantities needed to quantify it and to describe reflected and emitted radiation The second part considers what a radiometer is, how it works and on what the signal depends. The third part addresses radiometry inthe context of Earth Observations, with an emphasis on the solar reflected region (visible near infrared) and thermal infrared region. The role of the atmosphere, the ambient radiation, and how to extract information from the signal at the satellite are also discussed briefly.
