What is defined as a characteristic or event that can be detected from a distance?

The term "remote sensing phenomenon" refers to any characteristic or event that can be detected from a distance using remote sensing technologies. This includes a wide range of phenomena such as changes in land cover, variations in temperature, moisture levels, and many others that are observable through satellite imagery or aerial photography. Remote sensing utilizes electromagnetic waves to collect data about these phenomena without the need for direct contact, making it a powerful tool for monitoring and analyzing the Earth's surface.

In contrast, spatial resolution pertains to the detail or clarity of the data captured, which is important for distinguishing between different features but does not directly define what can be detected. Georeferencing is the process of associating spatial data with coordinates to ensure that the data corresponds to real-world locations, while temporal data relates to the timing of when data is collected. These concepts are vital to the study of remote sensing, but they do not encapsulate the fundamental idea of detecting characteristics or events from a distance as the term "remote sensing phenomenon" does.