GIS 4035 Module 5a: Introduction to ERDAS Imagine and Digital Data

Subset of a classified image selected from ERDAS Imagine and exported to ArcMap for layout finalization.

Our module this week was divided into two topics. First, we dove deeper into the details of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the relationship between wavelength, frequency and energy along with how to calculate each. While we need not be physicists to use remotely sensed data, we do need to have an understanding of the structure of the electromagnetic spectrum and the type of data we can extract from different wavelengths.

Our second topic was an introduction to the ERDAS Imagine program. I am glad to finally be learning this program, in part due to the positive things I've heard of it from others but also as a change of "scenery" from ArcMap. Our deliverable (above) was simply a selected section from a classified image exported and finalized in ArcMap. Most of the assignment was designed to get us familiar with the program for use throughout the semester and, hopefully, our careers.

An issue that often arose as I worked with ERDAS Imagine was the difference between Imagine 2011 (the basis for the assignment) and Imagine 2014. The majority of changes I encountered were simple to recognize and overcome. The only major problem I had was in exercise 3; the subset image I created using the inquire box never updated the area attribute. I made several attempts without success. Most likely I was in error but I could never locate the source. In the end, I calculated the updated area totals in ArcMap using the Count field of the attribute table.

I enjoyed working with Imagine as the program seems to be much more efficient than ArcMap in simple manipulations of raster data (such as panning and zooming). I am looking forward to learning more about what the program can do.