Glossary and index to remotely sensed image pattern recognition concepts

Abstract

The purpose of the glossary is to state in the simplest possible way the general meaning or word usage for many of the terms in image pattern recognition. There is no intent to provide definitive statements for terms such as “resolution” but rather only statements about the general nature of what resolution is. There is no intent to provide mathematical formulas involving integrals or derivatives in any of the statements. Those who need the mathematics can get it from technical papers or texts. The glossary is designed to be read by those generally unfamiliar with the area and provide for them an overall perspective. The organization approaches that of programmed learning material and can be smoothly (I hope) read from beginning to end. Those needing to look up a specific term can do so via the index. There is some overlap of terms in this glossary with those glossaries or definitions in radiometry and aerial photography. There is no intent that the way the terms are described here replace the way they are described in those glossaries and definitions. The overlap is provided here so that the reader can get a perspective of a cluster of terms frequently used in our field. The perspective is intended to start from what the image concept is through the recording of an image by some sensor, the possible conversion of image format and the simple analog or more complex digital processing which must be done on the imagery. In short, the perspective is one of image pattern recognition.