Baseline data DEA Surface Reflectance

  • A suite of analysis ready datasets

  • Baseline data for many derived products

  • Landsat imagery adjusted for Australian use

Abstract image of water in landscape as captured by satellite

Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery ready for analysis

Digital Earth Australia (DEA)’s Surface Reflectance datasets represent the vast archive of images captured by the US Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat and European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-2 satellite programs, validated, calibrated, and adjusted for Australian conditions — ready for easy analysis

Aerial view of yellow crop being cut by harvester in straight line

Light reflected from the Earth’s surface (surface reflectance) is important for monitoring environmental resources such as agricultural production and mining activities over time

Part-globe of Earth from space showing land water and clouds

DEA’s analysis ready datasets have been adjusted and corrected to account for image inconsistencies caused by factors such as atmosphere, cloud cover, terrain shadow, and sun and satellite position

How is DEA Surface Reflectance data used?

  • The analysis ready baseline data is used to develop derivative data products

  • Products derived from DEA Surface Reflectance include DEA Fractional Cover, DEA Water Observations and DEA Coastlines

  • Derivative products may explore landscape metrics such as land use, water availability, urban growth, agriculture, bushfire patterns or the impacts of mining

  • Other products can be developed from DEA Surface Reflectance, such as statistical models of surface water or deforestation

man looking at image on computer

Imagery for impact What is analysis ready data?

The calibration and standardisation of satellite data is fundamental to its usability, and we’re making world-leading strides in this work

Related resources

Abstract image showing blue watery landscape as captured by satellite

Learn about Landsat

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The first Sentinel satellite mission was launched in 2014 by the European Space Agency on behalf of the European Union’s Copernicus initiative

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Australia, Calibration and Validation

This report from our partners explores the future of Australia as a global leader in delivering quality-assured satellite Earth observation data

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