Band Designation For Landsat

Band Designations for the Landsat Satellites

Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images consist of four spectral bands with 60 meter spatial resolution. Approximate scene size is 170 km north-south by 185 km east-west (106 mi by 115 mi). Specific band designations differ from Landsat 1-3 to Landsat 4-5.

Multispectral Scanner (MSS)	Landsat 1-3	Landsat 4-5	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

* Original MSS pixel size was 79 x 57 meters; production systems now resample the data to

60 meters.

Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images consist of seven spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 30 meters for Bands 1 to 5 and 7. Spatial resolution for Band 6 (thermal infrared) is 120 meters, but is resampled to 30-meter pixels. Approximate scene size is 170 km north-south by 183 km east-west (106 mi by 114 mi).

Thematic Mapper (TM)	Landsat 4-5	Wavelength (micrometers)	Resolution (meters)
	Band 1	0.45-0.52	30
	Band 2	0.52-0.60	30
	Band 3	0.63-0.69	30
	Band 4	0.76-0.90	30
	Band 5	1.55-1.75	30
	Band 6	10.40-12.50	120* (30)
	Band 7	2.08-2.35	30

* TM Band 6 was acquired at 120-meter resolution, but products processed before February

25, 2010 are resampled to 60-meter pixels. Products processed after February 25, 2010 are resampled to 30-meter pixels.

Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images consist of eight spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 30 meters for Bands 1 to 7. The resolution for Band 8 (panchromatic) is 15 meters. All bands can collect one of two gain settings (high or low) for increased radiometric sensitivity and dynamic range, while Band 6 collects both high and low gain for all scenes. Approximate scene size is 170 km north-south by 183 km east-west (106 mi by 114 mi).

Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)	Landsat 7	Wavelength (micrometers)	Resolution (meters)
	Band 1	0.45-0.52	30
	Band 2	0.52-0.60	30
	Band 3	0.63-0.69	30
	Band 4	0.77-0.90	30
	Band 5	1.55-1.75	30
	Band 6	10.40-12.50	60 * (30)
	Band 7	2.09-2.35	30
	Band 8	.52-.90	15

* ETM+ Band 6 is acquired at 60-meter resolution. Products processed after February 25,

2010 are resampled to 30-meter pixels.

Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) images consist of nine spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 30 meters for Bands 1 to 7 and 9. New band 1 (ultra-blue) is useful for coastal and aerosol studies. New band 9 is useful for cirrus cloud detection. The resolution for Band 8 (panchromatic) is 15 meters. Thermal bands

10 and 11 are useful in providing more accurate surface temperatures and are collected at 100 meters. Approximate scene size is 170 km north-south by 183 km east-west (106 mi by 114 mi).

Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) Launched February 11, 2013	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 (TIRS) 1	10.60 - 11.19	100
	Band 11 - Thermal Infrared (TIRS) 2	11.50 - 12.51	100

* TIRS bands are acquired at 100 meter resolution, but are resampled to 30 meter in delivered data product.

Question:

What are the best spectral bands to use for my study?

Answer:

This is a common question considered by all users of remotely sensed data. The level of detail (spatial resolution) is often the most interesting aspect of viewing a satellite image, but less appreciated is how changes in irradiative energy reflected by different surface materials are used to identify features of interest.

Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS)

Band	Wavelength	Useful for mapping
Band 1 – coastal aerosol	0.43-0.45	coastal and aerosol studies
Band 2 – blue	0.45-0.51	Bathymetric mapping, distinguishing soil from vegetation and deciduous from coniferous vegetation
Band 3 - green	0.53-0.59	Emphasizes peak vegetation, which is useful for assessing plant vigor
Band 4 - red	0.64-0.67	Discriminates vegetation slopes
Band 5 - Near Infrared (NIR)	085.-0.88	Emphasizes biomass content and shorelines
Band 6 - Short-wave Infrared (SWIR) 1	1.57-1.65	Discriminates moisture content of soil and vegetation; penetrates thin clouds
Band 7 - Short-wave Infrared (SWIR) 2	2.11-2.29	Improved moisture content of soil and vegetation and  thin cloud penetration
Band 8 - Panchromatic	.50-.68	15 meter resolution, sharper image definition
Band 9 – Cirrus	1.36 -1.38	Improved detection of cirrus cloud contamination
Band 10 – TIRS 1	10.60 – 11.19	100 meter resolution, thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture
Band 11 – TIRS 2	11.5-12.51	100 meter resolution, Improved thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture

Landsat 4-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus

(ETM+)

Band	Wavelength	Useful for mapping
Band 1 - blue	0.45-0.52	Bathymetric mapping, distinguishing soil from vegetation and deciduous from coniferous vegetation
Band 2 - green	0.52-0.60	Emphasizes peak vegetation, which is useful for assessing plant vigor
Band 3 - red	0.63-0.69	Discriminates vegetation slopes
Band 4 - Near Infrared	0.77-0.90	Emphasizes biomass content and shorelines
Band 5 - Short-wave Infrared	1.55-1.75	Discriminates moisture content of soil and vegetation; penetrates thin clouds
Band 6 - Thermal Infrared	10.40-12.50	Thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture
Band 7 - Short-wave Infrared	2.09-2.35	Hydrothermally altered rocks associated with mineral deposits
Band 8 - Panchromatic (Landsat 7 only)	.52-.90	15 meter resolution, sharper image definition

Landsat Multi Spectral Scanner (MSS)

Landsat MSS 1, 2,3  Spectral Bands	Landsat MSS 4,5 Spectral Bands	Wavelength	Useful for mapping
Band 4 - green	Band 1 - green	0.5-0.6	Sediment-laden water, delineates areas of shallow water
Band 5 - red	Band 2 - red	0.6-0.7	Cultural features
Band 6 - Near Infrared	Band 3 - Near Infrared	0.7-0.8	Vegetation boundary between land and water, and landforms
Band 7 - Near Infrared	Band 4 - Near Infrared	0.8-1.1	Penetrates atmospheric haze best, emphasizes vegetation, boundary between land and water, and landforms