Common Image Formats and Availability

Landsat MSS

• 80 meter spatial resolution
• 1972 to 1993
• 4 spectral bands in visible and NIR
• Approximately 185 sq.km area per scene
• Most scenes cost $200, some available from stations outside the U.S. for $1200

Shown here: Contrast stretched "4,2,1-RGB" of the Connecticut coast from New Haven to Branford. The results are similar to an infrared photograph - vegetation appears pink/red, urban features appear blue/gray and water appears black.

Landsat TM

• 30 meter spatial resolution
• 1981 to present
• 7 spectral bands in visible, NIR, MIR and TIR
• Approximately 185 sq.km area per scene
• Complicated pricing ranging from $425 to $4400 per scene

Shown here: Contrast stretched "4,3,2-RGB" of the same region of the Connecticut Coast. The resulting colors are similar to the MSS image shown above.

Landsat ETM+

• 30 meter spatial resolution for reflective bands
• 15 meter spatial resolution for panchromatic band
• 60 meter spatial resolution for thermal bands
• 1999 to present
• 6 spectral bands in visible, NIR, MIR
• 2 spectral bands in TIR
• 1 panchromatic band
• Approximately 183km wide by 170km long per scene
• $600 per scene

Shown here: Contrast stretched "4,3,2-RGB" of the same region of the Connecticut Coast. The resulting colors are similar to the TM image shown above.

SPOT

• 10 meter resolution for panchromatic (visible)
• 20 meter resolution for multi-spectral (visible & NIR)
• 1986-present
• Approximately 60 sq.km area per scene
• $1000 per scene (for academic use)

Shown here: Sharpened and contrast enhanced panchromatic image of New Haven, Connecticut. East Rock is at the top center, the green is at lower left. One could zoom in farther without loss of detail.

IKONOS

• meter spatial resolution for multispectral bands
• 1 meter spatial resoltuion for panchromatic band
• 1999 to present
• 4 spectral bands in visible and NIR
• 1 panchromatic band
• Approximately 13km by 13km in area per scene
• Complicated pricing ranging from $12/sq.km to $99/sq.km

Shown here: Contrast stretched "4,3,2-RGB" of the Adami Reserve (approximately 11 km wide by 9 km long in size) in Syria. The results are similar to an infrared photograph - vegetation appears red/pink, road features appear white.

MODIS

• 250 meter spatial resolution for red and infrared bands (2 total)
• 500 meter spatial resolution for blue, green, NIR and two MIR bands (5 total)
• 1000 meter spatial resolution for visible, NIR, MIR and TIR bands (29 total)
• 1999 to present
• 36 spectral bands in visible, NIR, MIR and TIR
• Approximately 1112km by 1112km in area per scene
• free

Shown here: A full MODIS scene contrast stretched "Infrared, Red, Green-RGB" for south west Asia. The results are similar to an infrared photograph - vegetation appears red/pink, bare soil appears white and water appears black.

ASTER

• 15 meter spatial resolution for green, red and NIR bands (3 total)
• 30 meter spatial resolution for short wave infrared bands (5 total)
• 90 meter spatial resolution for thermal bands (6 total)
• 2000 to present
• 14 spectral bands in visible, NIR, MIR and TIR
• Approximately 60km by 60km in area per scene
• $55 but many scenes in the U.S. are free

Shown here: Contrast stretched "3,2,1-RGB" of the same region of the Connecticut Coast. The resulting colors are similar to the TM image shown above.