A Question of Resolution
Which Spatial Resolution for which Application?

Figure 1: Shanghai recorded by MERIS on Enivsat 2003. 
Source: ESA. 
Prices from 0.25 € per 100 km2. Source: geoville.com	
Figure 2: Shanghai viewed by Landsat TM 1989. 
Source: ESA. 
Prices from 0.58 € to 2,300 € for 100 km2. 
Source: geoville.com	
Figure 3: Shanghai detail recorded by Ikonos in May 2000. 
Source: ESA. 
Prices from 1,200 € for 100 km2. Source: geoville.com	

Applications	Low resolution	Medium to high resolution	Very high resolution	
Traffic control				
Regional environmental mapping				
Topographic map up-dates				
Agricultural mapping				
Tree census				
Urban planning				
Weather monitoring				

1.	Different resolutions for different applications. Complete the table which demonstrates how different resolutions are suitable for different applications. Use the following scale: 
+ (best suited for purpose), 
o (moderately suited for purpose), 
- (poorly suited).
2.	The choice of satellite system is usually a compromise between cost and spatial resolution. Which resolution and therefore satellite system would you need to
a.	monitor the vegetation of a region?
b.	check the construction progress of an airport?
c.	draw the topography of a region?
3.	Find main tasks and uses of the satellites Landsat, SPOT and QuickBird on the Internet.