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Frequently Asked Questions about the Landsat Missions
Missions and Sensors
What is Landsat and when did it begin?
Where can I locate historical documents relating to the Landsat missions?
What future missions are planned?
Data Acquisition
What is the orbit path of Landsats 7 and 5?
What is the Worldwide Reference System (WRS)?
What are the band designations for the Landsat satellites?
How are acquisitions planned for Landsats 7 and 5?
Can an acquisition request be made for a specific date and location?
How can I find the acquisition time for an image?
Why is the thermal band on Landsat 7 (band 6) acquired in both low and high gain?
Data Access and Delivery
What are LandsatLook images?
What are gap mask files?
Where can I find the latest information about Landsat data products?
After a Landsat scene is collected, when will it become available for search and download?
How do I search for and download Landsat scenes?
How do I search and download ascending (nighttime) scenes?
How do I submit a bulk download request for Landsat data?
What is the processing time for Landsat images?
What files will be provided with a Landsat scene?
What are the _VER.jpg and _VER.txt files that are included with the MSS and TM data I downloaded, and how can I use them?
What are the naming conventions for Landsat MSS, TM and ETM+ scene identifiers?
Why are the individual band file names of Landsat MSS 4-5 and TM 4-5 scenes from the same date identical?
Are there any restrictions on the use or redistribution of Landsat data?
Are all collected Landsat scenes held in the USGS Landsat archive?
What is Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-off data?
How do Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-off data products compare to previous Landsat 7 data?
Browse Images and Metadata
What band combination is used for Landsat browse images?
Why is there so much color variation among the Landsat browse images?
Why do some browse images have a color shift midway through the scene?
Why do some Landsat browse images appear pixilated?
Why are some browse images black?
What is a Partial Aperture Calibration (PAC) scene?
How is the percentage of cloud cover calculated?
Why is the cloud cover reported as "0.00" for night scenes?
Why are there gridlines on the SLC-off browse images?
Image Processing
What is definitive ephemeris?
How do I fill in the gaps in my SLC-off image?
How were the gaps filled in SLC-off scenes?
What is the geometric accuracy of a Landsat 7 ETM+ systematically corrected Level 1G processed product?
Does Landsat processing include atmospheric correction?
What is the difference between LPGS and NLAPS processing?
How do I determine the processing level of the Landsat scene I have downloaded?
Why did my requested scenes fail to process?
Data Characteristics and Anomalies
What are the common anomalies found in Landsat data?
Why are there lines across my Landsat TM image?
Calibration and Technical Details
How accurate is the radiometric calibration of Landsat images?
What are Calibration Parameter Files?
What is the difference between the CPF Effective date and Version date?
What is a gain change?
What is the difference between the 61(or 6H, high-gain) band and the 62 (or 6L, low-gain) band?
How is radiance calculated?
How is at-sensor reflectance calculated?
How is at-sensor temperature calculated for the thermal infrared bands (6L and 6H)?
What is the minimal change in temperature that is detectable from the Landsat 7 thermal band imagery?
Applications and Interpretation
How do I open Landsat data files?
What are the best spectral bands to use for my study?
Can Landsat MSS images be compared to Landsat TM and ETM+ images?
What could be causing the "seamline" in a mosaic of multiple images?
If gap mask files are not provided with the data, can I create my own?
What is pan-sharpening and how can I create a pan-sharpened image?
Project Descriptions
Landsat Missions Timeline
Landsat 1 History
Landsat 2 History
Landsat 3 History
Landsat 4 History
Landsat 5 History
Landsat 6 History
Landsat 7 History
Landsat Data Continuity Mission
Landsat Updates
International Landsat Ground Stations
USGS Landsat Ground Stations
Landsat Project Statistics
Landsat Global Archive Consolidation (LGAC)
Image Gallery
Map
View Entire Image Gallery
View World Cities
View Land Features
View Water and Ice
View Natural Disasters
View Special Images
Landsat Missions 40th Anniversary Gallery
Landsat Picture Gallery
Using Landsat 7 Data
Landsat Standard Data Product
USGS Archive and Available Scenes
Landsat Search and Download
Landsat Processing Details
Using Landsat Data
Satellite and Sensor Information
Landsat MSS products now created with the LPGS processing system
LandsatLook Images
LDCM Data Product
Global Land Surveys
Web-enabled Landsat data (WELD) Project
Product Samples
Landsat Science Team
Landsat Science Team Responsibilities
Landsat Science Team Strategy – USGS Science Team Composition
Landsat Science Team Measures of Success
Landsat Science Team Meetings
Landsat Science Team Publications
Landsat Science Team, 2006-2011
Calibration
L7 ETM+ Calibration Parameter Files
L7 ETM+ Calibration Notices
L5 TM Calibration Parameter Files
L4-5 TM Calibration Notices
L4 TM Calibration Paratmeter Files
L1-5 MSS Calibration Parameter Files
L1-5 MSS Calibration Notices
Download Definitive Ephemeris for Landsat 7 and Landsat 5
Anomalies
LDCM Calibration and Validation Activities
Science Users Handbook
Data Gap Studies
Featured Tools
Acquisition
Landsat Bulk Data Downloads
Landsat Bulk Metadata Service
Project Documentation
Converters & Shape Files
Glossary & Acronyms
Frequently Asked Questions about the Landsat Missions
Affiliates
Education and Outreach
Reference
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
