Bands in Remote Sensing
Table of Contents
What is a Band in Remote Sensing
In Remote Sensing the bands is a set of data file values for a specific portion of the Electromagnetic spectrum of eflected light or emitted heat. There are several bands including; red, green, blue, near-infrared, thermal infrared, and so far.
The bands of data are occasionally referred to as layers. Once a band is imported into a GIS, it becomes a layer of information which can be processed in various ways. Additional layers can be created and added to the image file.
Landsat Band Combinations
Landsat 1-5 Bands (MSS)
| 1-3 Bands | 4-5 Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 4 | Band 1 | 0.5-0.6 | 60 |
| Band 5 | Band 2 | 0.6-0.7 | 60 |
| Band 6 | Band 3 | 0.7-0.8 | 60 |
| Band 7 | Band 4 | 0.8-1.1 | 60 |
Landsat 4 and 5 Bands (TM)
| Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 – Blue | 0.45 – 0.52 | 30 |
| Band 2 – Green | 0.52 – 0.60 | 30 |
| Band 3 – Red | 0.63 – 0.69 | 30 |
| Band 4 – Near Infrared (NIR) | 0.76 – 0.90 | 30 |
| Band 5 – SWIR | 1.55 – 1.75 | 30 |
| Band 6 – Thermal Infrared | 10.40 – 12.50 | 120 |
| Band 7 – SWIR | 2.08 – 2.35 | 30 |
Landsat 7 Bands (ETM+)
| Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 – Blue | 0.45 – 0.52 | 30 |
| Band 2 – Green | 0.52 – 0.60 | 30 |
| Band 3 – Red | 0.63 – 0.69 | 30 |
| Band 4 – Near Infrared (NIR) | 0.77 – 0.90 | 30 |
| Band 5 – SWIR | 1.57 – 1.75 | 30 |
| Band 6 – Thermal Infrared | 10.40 – 12.50 | 60 |
| Band 7 – SWIR | 2.09 – 2.35 | 30 |
| Band 8 – Panchromatic | 0.52 – 0.90 | 15 |
Landsat 8 Bands
| Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 – Coastal aerosol | 0.43 – 0.45 | 30 |
| Band 2 – Blue | 0.45 – 0.51 | 30 |
| Band 3 – Green | 0.53 – 0.59 | 30 |
| Band 4 – Red | 0.64 – 0.67 | 30 |
| Band 5 – Near Infrared (NIR) | 0.85 – 0.88 | 30 |
| Band 6 – SWIR 1 | 1.57 – 1.65 | 30 |
| Band 7 – SWIR 2 | 2.11 – 2.29 | 30 |
| Band 8 – Panchromatic | 0.50 – 0.68 | 15 |
| Band 9 – Cirrus | 1.36 – 1.38 | 30 |
| Band 10 – Thermal Infrared (TIR) 1 | 10.60 – 11.19 | 100 |
| Band 11 – Thermal Infrared (TIR) 2 | 11.50 – 12.51 | 100 |
[Note : TM- Thematic Mapper, MSS- Multispectral Scanner, ETM- Enhanced Thematic Mapper, SWIR- Short wave Infrared)
ASTER Band Combinations
| Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 – Green | 0.52 – 0.60 | 15 |
| Band 2 – Red | 0.63 – 0.69 | 15 |
| Band 3N – Near Infrared (NIR) | 0.78 – 0.86 | 15 |
| Band 4 – SWIR 1 | 1.60 – 1.70 | 30 |
| Band 5 – SWIR 2 | 2.145 – 2.185 | 30 |
| Band 6 – SWIR 3 | 2.185 – 2.225 | 30 |
| Band 7 – SWIR 4 | 2.235 – 2.285 | 30 |
| Band 8 – SWIR 5 | 2.295 – 2.365 | 30 |
| Band 9 – SWIR 6 | 2.360 – 2.430 | 30 |
| Band 10 – TIR 1 | 8.125 – 8.475 | 90 |
| Band 11 – TIR 2 | 8.475 – 8.825 | 90 |
| Band 12 – TIR 3 | 8.925 – 9.275 | 90 |
| Band 13 – TIR 4 | 10.25 – 10.95 | 90 |
| Band 14 – TIR 5 | 10.95 – 11.65 | 90 |
LISS-III Band Combinations
| Bands | Wavelength [micrometers] | Resolution [meters] |
|---|---|---|
| 1, Blue | – | |
| 2, Green | 0.52 to 0.59 | 23 |
| 3, Red | 0.62 to 0.68 | 23 |
| 4, NIR | 0.77 to 0.86 | 23 |
| 5, SWIR | 1.55 to 1.70 | 70 |
