Landsat 8 and 9 Earth observation satellites provide medium-resolution imagery, typically ranging from 15 to 30 meters, and include multispectral bands. These data are widely used in applications such as agriculture, forest monitoring, and cartographic analysis.
These satellites are equipped to measure the reflectance of the Earth’s surface across several parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The resulting images allow for the assessment and classification of natural resources, enabling informed decision-making in environmental studies and planning.
How to Acquire Landsat 8/9 Images
To download satellite imagery from Landsat 8 or 9, users can follow a standardized process through the Earth Explorer platform developed by the USGS. This platform provides free access to a wide selection of remote sensing data.
Below are the steps to obtain Landsat images:
- Visit the official Earth Explorer website: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/
- Create an account or log in with existing credentials.
- Navigate to the area of interest using the map interface. For example, to study the region of Loja, Ecuador.
- In the “Search Criteria” tab, define the area of interest. This can be done by entering coordinates using the “Add Coordinate” button or by drawing a polygon directly on the map. Also, specify the date range in “Date Range” and define the cloud cover threshold in “Cloud Cover”.
- Go to the “Data Sets” tab and select Landsat > Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 > Landsat 8-9 OLI/TIRS C2 L1. If needed, other datasets such as Collection 1 Level-2 may be selected depending on the project requirements.
- In the “Additional Criteria” tab, refine the search by selecting specific parameters such as the satellite (e.g., Landsat 9).
- Click the “Results” button to display available scenes that match the search conditions.
- Browse the results and select the desired scene. For example, a useful image might be from November 13, 2022. Use the “Download Options” button to access various file formats. It is recommended to download the full set of bands. The Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 product bundle is approximately 1 GB in size.
- Follow the platform instructions to download and unzip the files before importing them into ArcGIS Pro.
Electromagnetic Bands of Landsat 8/9 Satellite.
