Automated cloud cover assessment for Landsat TM images

Ben V. Hollingsworth; Liqiang Chen; Stephen E. Reichenbach; Richard R. Irish

doi:10.1117/12.258064

13 November 1996 Automated cloud cover assessment for Landsat TM images

Ben V. Hollingsworth, Liqiang Chen, Stephen E. Reichenbach, Richard R. Irish

Proceedings Volume 2819, Imaging Spectrometry II; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.258064
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

This paper describes a method for cloud cover assessment using computer-based analysis of multi-band Landsat images. The objective is to accurately determine the percentage of cloud cover in an efficient manner. The 'correct' value is determined by an expert's visual assessment. Acceptable error rates are +/- 10 percent from the visually determined coverage. This research improves upon an existing algorithm developed for use by the EROS data center several years ago. The existing algorithm uses threshold values in bands, 3, 5 and 6 based on the expected frequency response for clouds in each band. While this algorithm is reasonably fast, the accuracy is often unsatisfactory. The dataset used in developing the new method contained 329 subsampled, 7-band Landsat browse images with wide geographic coverage and a variety of cloud types. This dataset, provided by the EROS Data Center, also specifies the visual cloud cover assessment and the cloud cover assessment using the current automated algorithm. Mask images, separating cloud and non- cloud pixels, were developed for a subset of these images. The new approach is statistically based, developed forma multi-dimensional histogram analysis of a training subset. Images from a disjoint test set wee then classified. Initial results are significantly more accurate than the existing automated algorithm.

Citation Download Citation

Ben V. Hollingsworth, Liqiang Chen, Stephen E. Reichenbach, and Richard R. Irish "Automated cloud cover assessment for Landsat TM images", Proc. SPIE 2819, Imaging Spectrometry II, (13 November 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.258064

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available