Earth Imaging Glossary
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MEAN EARTH-SUN DISTANCE
Mean Earth-Sun distance is the arithmetical mean of the maximum and minimum distances
between a planet (Earth) and the object about which it revolves (Sun).
MERCATOR PROJECTION
Mercator is a conformal map projection, that is, it preserves angular relationships. Mercator
was designed and is recommended for navigational use and is the standard for marine charts.
Mercator is often and inappropriately used as a world map projection in atlases and for wall
charts where it presents a misleading view of the world because of the excessive distortion of
area in the higher latitude areas.
MICROMETERS
A unit of length equal to one-millionth of a meter. It also is referred to as a micron.
MICRONESIA
Micronesia is comprised of Pacific island groupings located at 9.30 degrees north latitude
and 143.00 degrees east longitude with a total land area of approximately 700 square
kilometers. The Federated States of Micronesia include Kosrae, Pohnpei, Truk, and Yap.
MICROWAVE
The subset of the Electromagnetic Spectrum encompassing wavelengths between .03 and 30
centimeters, corresponding to frequencies of 1-100 gigahertz.
MILLIRADIANS
Unit of angular measure equal to one-thousandth the angle subtended at the center of a circle
by an area of length equal to the radius of the circle.
MMSP--Modular Multi-Satellite Preprocessor
The MMSP is a frame synchronizer designed to provide the interface between bit
synchronized Landsat thematic mapper telemetry data and the host computer system. It is
used as the front end for a Landsat data acquisition system that accepts raw serial telemetry
data from high density tape (HDT), frame aligns, samples user specified fields, and presents
these data to the host computer for decommutation and image extraction.
MODE
That value that occurs most frequently within the data sample being taken. In a histogram, it
is the data value at which the peak of the distribution curve occurs.
MODULATION
The process by which some characteristics of one carrier wave are varied in relation to
another wave or signal.
MOSS--Map Overlay Statistical System
The MOSS is a vector based GIS system that was first implemented in 1977 by the U.S.
Bureau of Land Management.
MSS--Multispectral Scanner
The MSS is a nonphotographic imaging system which utilizes an oscillating mirror and fiber
optic sensor array. The mirror sweeps from side to side, transmitting incoming energy to a
detector array which sequentially outputs brightness values (signal strengths) for successive
pixels, one swath at a time. The forward motion of the sensor platform carries the instrument
to a position along its path where an adjacent swath can be imaged. The MSS simultaneously
senses radiation using an array of six detectors in each of four spectral bands from 0.5 to 1.1
micrometers.
MULTISPECTRAL
The use of one or more sensors to obtain imagery from different portions of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
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Initial content for this Glossary of terms has been graciously supplied by RADARSAT International - www.rsi.ca
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