Introduction to Landsat and Google Earth Engine

Veerachai Tanpipat, D.Eng. (วีรชัย ตันพพิัฒน์)

iamtanpipat@hotmail.com

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?p=6580

Alaska USGS Office, Anchorage, USA, 1996

Contents

• What is Remote Sensing?

• Introduction to Landsat

• Landsat data level, accessibility, and applications;

• Introduction to Google Earth Engine and examples

• Air pollution, aerosol, smoke, haze monitoring and study by EOS (follow ARSET’s materials)

• Conclusions

What is Remote Sensing?• It is a data collection method from a distance by

detecting both the Sun’s energy that is reflected from Earth’s surface and Earth emitted energy with unique spectral signature.

• There are 2 systems; passive and active.

Source: http://grindgis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/active-and-passive.png

• There are 2 types of sensor push broom, along track, whisk broom scanners.

• The longest Earth Observation Satellite program in the world is Landsat (44 years and progressing).

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EO1/eo1_2.php

Source: http://images.slideplayer.com/14/4180915/slides/slide_7.jpg

Source: http://scied.ucar.edu/longcontent/energy-budget

Source: http://bio3400.nicerweb.com/Locked/media/ch15/15_08-electromagnetic_spectrum.jpg

Source: http://www.intechopen.com/source/html/17173/media/image3.jpeg

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Remotely Sensed Imagery Resolution1. Spectral: Electromagnetic spectrum selected;

how many specific wavelengths are recorded?

2. Spatial: Pixel size; how big real world details can be seen?

3. Temporal: Revisiting time, how often the measurement can repeat the target?

4. Radiometric: How well it can discriminate small energy difference which results in how clear phenomenon can be detected; how many intensity differences can be seen?

Source: https://earthdata.nasa.gov/user-resources/webinars-and-tutorials

Source: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Why Spectral Resolution Important?

http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Why Temporal Resolution Important?

Source: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Source: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Why Radiometric Resolution Important?

Source: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Why Radiometric Resolution Important?

L8

Source: https://www2.usgs.gov/blogs/features/files/2015/01/Landsat_timeline.jpg

Dr. William T. Pecora, Pioneer of Earth Science from Space, the father of Landsat Program, Director of the

USGS from 1965 to 1971 under Stewart Udall, United States Secretary of the Interior for

Presidents Kennedy and Johnson

Source: https://www2.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/william-t-pecora-pioneer-of-earth-science-from-space/

Introduction to Landsat

Source: http://eijournal.com/print/articles/celebrating-40-years-years-of-landsat

Introduction to Landsat

• L8 carries 2 passive push broom, along track, scanners instead of previous whisk broom scanners (L1-L7); Operational Land Imager (OLI) and

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Landsat_Data_Continuity_Mission_Operational_Land_Imager_Instrument_Design.jpg

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/578324main_20110809-oli-lrg-

1.jpeg

• and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIS)

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsat_8#/media/File:Landsat_Data_Continuity_Mission_Thermal_Infrared_Sensor_Instrument_Design.jpg

Source: https://maudestandard.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/landsat

-8-will-be-looking-down-on-us-soon/

Source: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/7/1/1135

Source: https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/sa

tellite-missions/l/landsat-8-

ldcm

Landsat 5

Source: http://www.seos-project.eu/modules/classification/classification-c00-p05.html

Source: https://www.osapublishing.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-22-22-27270&id=303464

Landsat 8

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/news/first-images-feature.html

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BandpassesL7vL8_Jul20131.jpg

L8 VS. L7

A deep blue visible channel (band 1) specifically designed for water resources and coastal zone investigation (sediment movement), and a new infrared channel (band 9) for the detection of cirrus (high thin) clouds.

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov//ldcm_vs_previous.php

Which applications each band designed for?

• 1964- Dr. William Pecora proposed to US Congress• 1969- US Congress approved funding• 1972-ERTS-1 (Earth Resources Technology Satellite,

later renamed Landsat 1• 1984 Landsat 5 has launched - 2013 Landsat 5

discontinued• 2000 EO-1 (Earth Observing One) launched with ALI

(Advance Land Imager)• 2005-LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission) began• 2013-LDCM was launched on February 11, 2013, later

renamed Landsat 8• 2015-Landsat 9 in a roll to be launched TIR-2019 & OLI

2-2023

Introduction to Landsat

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/goddard/nasa-awards-letter-contract-for-landsat-9-imager-2

Introduction to Landsat

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov/about_mission_history.php and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqVKR9OnqqA

2019 TIR Free-Flyer

Introduction to Landsat

Data Correction Level:

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov//Landsat_Processing_Details.phpSource: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Data Correction Level:

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov//Landsat_Processing_Details.phpSource: http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Data Correction Level:

Standard Terrain Correction (Level 1T) - provides systematic radiometric and geometric accuracy by incorporating ground control points while employing a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for topographic accuracy. Geometric accuracy of the L1T corrected product should be within 30 meters (1 pixel) for low-relief areas at sea level.

Systematic Correction (Level 1G) - provides systematic radiometric and geometric accuracy, which is derived from data collected by the sensor and spacecraft. Geometric accuracy of the systematically corrected product should be within 250 meters (1 sigma) for low-relief areas at sea level.

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov//Landsat_Processing_Details.php

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov/Landsat_Project_Statistics.php

Barbara Ryan GEO Secretariat Director the leader to propose the idea, then since late 2008, when Landsat data were made available to all users free of charge (600 – 1,000 or more in case of

Thailand USD per scene)

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov/documents/USGS_Landsat_Imagery_Release.pdf

Source: https://www2.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/free-data-proves-its-worth-for-observing-earth/

Accessibility1. Earth Explorer

Source: http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

Accessibility2. Glovis

Source: http://glovis.usgs.gov/

Accessibility3. LandsatLook Viewer

Source: http://landsatlook.usgs.gov/viewer.html

Accessibility4. Landsat Google Earth Interface

Source: Google Earth with USGS_Landsat.kml

Accessibility5. LSDS Science Research and Development (LSRD)

Source: http://espa.cr.usgs.gov/index/

Source: http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3510

Main Researches and Operation Topics Using Landsat Imageries that NASA considers significant

Examples: Agriculture

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3512

Examples: Ecosystem and Biodiversity

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3518

Examples: Fire

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3522

Examples: Disasters

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3516

Examples: Human Health

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3527

Examples: Urban Growth

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3529

Examples: Forest Management

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3525

Examples: Carbon and Climate

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3514

Examples: Energy

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3520

Examples: Water

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/?page_id=3531

Main U.S. Government Program, Landsat Imageries Applications Use in 2015:

Source: https://www2.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/business-experts-see-landsat-as-stunning-return-on-public-investment/

Source: http://landsat.usgs.gov/Landsat_Project_Statistics.php

• Aerosol, dust, smoke and haze monitoring by Landsat, actually we can see it in the valley such as Huanpan, Laos PDR

• Landsat 8’s Band 1 (0.4333-0.453 µm) is useful for imaging shallow water, sediment, and also useful in estimating the concentration and tracking fine particles of aerosols such as smoke and haze in the atmosphere (http://landsat.usgs.gov//L8_band_1.php).

• But not many researches using Landsat to really study aerosol probably because temporal resolution, so it might be a good topic to do some interesting research as its spatial resolution.

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84218&src=fb

Landsat 8, however, has a new “coastal blue band” designed to parse out subtle differences in the color of water—minor changes in color intensity that can indicate what is mixed in that water.

Taking Landsat 8 to the Beach, Lake Ontario near Rochester, New York; August 22, 2014

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84218&src=fb

Taking Landsat 8 to the Beach, Lake Ontario near Rochester, New York; August 22, 2014Over the past year, members of Schott’s research group have paddled or motored out into the lake to sample the waters on the same days that Landsat 8 has passed overhead (which happens once every 16 days). The team then compares the chemistry and visual quality of those water samples with what the satellite sees. The researchers are using these comparisons to create data tables and computer programs that will eventually turn remote satellite images into timely information for local managers of water quality.

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=88319&src=nha

Automating the Detection of Landslides, Nepal

Free Python 3 code--https://github.com/NASA-DEVELOP/DRIP-SLIP

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBIA0lqfcN4

Land Use and Land Cover Change

The main benefit that Landsat can provide is the time series of the changing Earth’s surfaces!!!! (Land Cover) according to human activities (Land Use).

• Land Cover: Forest, Desert, etc.• Land Use: Agriculture, Mining, Irrigation system, etc.• Land Use and Land Cover Change: Forest >>>>>

Agriculture, Urban, Suburban, etc.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPRGfyd93fo

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIYHGkSb-fU

Land Use and Land Cover Change

GEE put those Landsat imageries together and give the power for people to study the changing world!!

Google Earth Engine• What is it?• Why Google build it?• What can it do?• Examples?

Useful links for further reading and studying:1. https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/landsat2. http://www.igettremotesensing.org3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDxd6uo0gw84. http://www.ceos-cove.org/

Why is Google working on Earth Engine?

• Started in 2009 right after Landsat imageries are free to the public. Google is trying to mirror USGS archive only with L1T with over 3 millions scenes and of course MODIS and will add VIIRS.

• Google's mission is to organize the world's information (Big Data Concept; too much for a single server) and make it universally accessible and useful.

• Earth Engine organizes geospatial information and makes it available for analysis.

• Google strives to make the world a better place through the use of technology.

Source: https://earthengine.google.com

What is Earth Engine?Earth Engine is a platform for petabyte-scale scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets, both for public benefit and for business and government users.Source: https://earthengine.google.com/

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3369491/Google-s-plan-world-Search-engine-build-half-billion-dollar-data-center-US.html

What is Earth Engine? • Access to over 40 years of satellite imageries (with

daily updates). Petabytes of publicly available geospatial data.

• Scientific algorithms to analyze those data (as well as your own data). Comprehensive toolset to analyze data. Scientific algorithms ready for use & the building blocks to create your own with ability to reproduce/share routines

• Google’s computer clusters to analyze the data at planetary scale for free.

• A web-based tool for interactive data exploration.• An API for building your own specialized websites.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDxd6uo0gw8 Intro to EE & Friends By David Thau

Since 2014

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LZGBL4U3F4

What can Google Earth Engine do?

• Earth Engine’s technical infrastructure powers humanitarian, scientific, and environmental initiatives.

• GEE uses Python and Javascript as 2 base languages for Web Application Program Interface (API) where it allow users to write their own codes on top of it

• The data available in GEE can be looked up at GEE Data Catalog (https://earthengine.google.com/datasets/)

• Processing raster satellite imageries time series in a very quick time manner where users do not need to physically download huge data in their machine.

Source: https://earthengine.google.com

How to get it started?• Gmail account• Google drive• https://signup.earthengine.google.com/#/

Graphical User Interface (GUI)• earthengine.google.org• User-friendly access to data & some tools

Earth Engine Playground – Web portal to the application program interface (API)• ee-api.appspot.com• Access to advanced analysis tools • Create complex custom analyses using JavaScript • Powerful but requires some programming

knowledge or willingness to learn

Source: https://earthengine.google.com

Script manager & API Documentation Code Editor

Information Panel

Map outputPanelhttps://code.earthengine.google.com/#

Earth Engine Playground – Web portal to the application program interface (API)

Earth Engine Playground – Web portal to the application program interface (API)

With specific boundary of study area

Useful Links:Where to look at the what imageries GEE have• Call Earth Engine Bucket--

https://console.cloud.google.com/storage/browser/earthengine-public/?pli=1

• https://earthengine.google.org/#index• https://ee-api.appspot.com/datasets• https://console.developers.google.com/storage/earthen

gine-public/

Access documentations (ready to use codes)• https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/

Participate and get help from the forum• https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#

!forum/google-earth-engine-developers

Matt Hansen, Global Forest Change, Powered by GEE

Source: http://earthenginepartners.appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest

“This is the first map of forest change that is globally consistent and locally relevant. What would have taken a single computer 15 years to perform was completed in a matter of days using Google Earth Engine computing.” Prof. Dr. Matt Hansen, U. of Maryland

Source: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/342/6160/850

Source: http://mol.org/

Map Of LifeThe Map of Life team has developed an interactive map for conservators to view and analyze habitat ranges and to assess the security of individual species.

Source: http://mol.org/

The Deforestation Alert System (SAD) is operating in the GEE platform (Monthly Deforestation Report; http://imazon.org.br/).

Report results at

Global Forest Watch;

http://www.globalforest

watch.org/

Source: USAID-LEAF

GEE Landsat Time Series-Forest Cover Change to Carbon Emission

1. Overview of Image Time Series Compositing Process2. GEE Madang, PNG 2000-2013 Available Imagery3. LEAF Composites Missing Scene Integration and L8

Integration4. Detection of Deforestation and Degradation by

CLASlite Using Landsat Google Earth Engine Composites

5. CLASlite’s Outputs from 4 USAID LEAF Landscapes6. Madang emissions based on Hansen AD7. GEE example code by Ian Houseman, RSAC-USFS

“Landsat looked; the scientists saw. Lives will be saved” by Joel N. Shurkin, July 23, 2012

Source: Landsat Looks and Sees, Forty Years of Observations Reveal a Changing Planet and Society; Landsat 1, July 23, 1972 (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/LandsatLooks/)

Source: Landsat 8, Feb. 11, 2013, https://www2.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/free-data-

proves-its-worth-for-observing-earth/

“From Still-Lifes to Motion Pictures” by Holli RiebeekVisuals by Joshua Stevens March 26, 2015http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/LandsatBigData/

Landsat and Beyond: Sustaining and Enhancing the Nation's Land Imaging Program, 2013

Source: National Academy of Sciences, http://www.nap.edu

Source: Introduction to ARSET and Aerosols Observations from Satellites - Air Quality, PawanGupta, October 2015, http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Experimental: (CLOUDSAT) The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO)

Source: Introduction to ARSET and Aerosols Observations from Satellites - Air Quality, PawanGupta, October 2015, http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

CALIPSO w70 x h30 m

Source: Satellites Remote Sensing of Air Quality – An Overview, Pawan Gupta, September 2015, http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

Source: Introduction to ARSET and Aerosols Observations from Satellites - Air Quality, PawanGupta, October 2015, http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov

The Power of Remote Sensing?• To Witness• To Prove• To Relate• To Reveal• To Celebrate By National Geographic Photographer James Balog(2013, http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/ng-live/balog-prove-lecture-

nglive?cs=related&source=relatedvideo)

• To Understand• To Adapt• To Survive

Conclusions

• Landsat is the longest satellite program with continuous data of over 40 years and will be extended.

• Landsat is free and can be used to study Global’sphenomena

• GEE enables us to utilize free remote sensing data into higher potential with less resources.

• We have to handle “Big data” in order to make more sense out of what we already have.

• Thoroughly love and understand what you are doing will enable your to enjoy your life!!!!

Thank you very much

for your attention!

Questions!!!!