Book excerpt: Advanced Remote Sensing is an application-based reference that provides a single source of mathematical concepts necessary for remote sensing data gathering and assimilation. It presents state-of-the-art techniques for estimating land surface variables from a variety of data types, including optical sensors such as RADAR and LIDAR. Scientists in a number of different fields including geography, geology, atmospheric science, environmental science, planetary science and ecology will have access to critically-important data extraction techniques and their virtually unlimited applications. While rigorous enough for the most experienced of scientists, the techniques are well designed and integrated, making the book's content intuitive, clearly presented, and practical in its implementation. - Comprehensive overview of various practical methods and algorithms - Detailed description of the principles and procedures of the state-of-the-art algorithms - Real-world case studies open several chapters - More than 500 full-color figures and tables - Edited by top remote sensing experts with contributions from authors across the geosciences