ASTER/TERRA remote sensing

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is a 14-channel visible to thermal-infrared sensor that was launched as part of the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra payload on 18 December 1999.
ASTER is an on-demand instrument. Since August 2002 the LP-DAAC has started to charge 60 USD per image scene, while the ASTER DEMs are (still) free.

Products:

V002/V003: The Japanese Ground Data System (GDS) started processing of ASTER Level-1 data (and re-processing of earlier data) using a newer, improved algorithm (Version 04.00R00) and also an improved set of radiometric calibration and geometric correction coefficients databases on May 1, 2001. To avoid user confusion in identifying different versions of the same granule in search results, it was decided to migrate Level-1 data produced in Japan on and after May 1, 2001 to a separate collection, which is version 003. Therefore, there are 2 separate collections (Versions 002 and 003) of ASTER Level-1 and Level-2 and Level-3 data sets available from the LP DAAC archives.

Software used: GDAL and GRASS5.0



ASTER/TERRA surface reflectance

aster 15m Northsea color composite with simulated blue channel
26 August 2000 at 10:59:33 UTC - surface reflectance (channels green, red and simulated blue)

Part of Northern Germany as seen from ASTER/TERRA at 15m resolution.
Note the magnified ship on the North Sea (upper left zoom window) and the magnified part of Langeoog island.


ASTER Instrument Characteristics Table (cited from JPL)

Characteristic VNIR SWIR TIR
Spectral Range Band 1: 0.52 - 0.60 µm
Nadir looking
Band 4: 1.600 - 1.700 µm Band 10: 8.125 - 8.475 µm

Band 2: 0.63 - 0.69 µm
Nadir looking
Band 5: 2.145 - 2.185 µm Band 11: 8.475 - 8.825 µm

Band 3: 0.76 - 0.86 µm
Nadir looking
Band 6: 2.185 - 2.225 µm Band 12: 8.925 - 9.275 µm

Band 3: 0.76 - 0.86 µm
Backward looking
Band 7: 2.235 - 2.285 µm Band 13: 10.25 - 10.95 µm


Band 8: 2.295 - 2.365 µm Band 14: 10.95 - 11.65 µm


Band 9: 2.360 - 2.430 µm
Ground Resolution 15 m 30m 90m
Swath Width (km) 60 60 60
Quantization (bits) 8 8 12
System Response Function VNIR Chart SWIR Chart TIR Chart
VNIR Data SWIR Data TIR Data
  ASTER bands superimposed on model atmosphere

Links:
Markus Neteler 8/2002
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