This guide describes Earth imaging for geographic information system (GIS), concepts and methods of image formation and manipulation, and how to use software tools to display, coregister, and enhance imagery obtained from aircraft or spacecraft. Chapters are organized by image data type and the method of image formation and detail the rationale for incorporating Earth imagery into GIS, historical background on Earth imaging, the raster structure of a digital image, and the different types of imagery used in GIS; the physical basis and methods of image formation; the effects of atmosphere on image quality; two-dimensional image sensors and the attributes of the images they produce; the display and enhancement of multispectral imagery in gray scale and false color; the use of photogrammetry to enhance imaging GIS software for compiling mosaics and measuring image features and the creation of point clouds with lidar sensors; image processing, including generating elevation models using photogrammetry; and visual image interpretation techniques and methods for delineating cartographic features, as well as image classification and feature extraction. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)