The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

A combined spectral and object-based approach to transparent cloud removal in an operational setting for Landsat ETM+

A combined spectral and object-based approach to transparent cloud removal in an operational setting for Landsat ETM+
A combined spectral and object-based approach to transparent cloud removal in an operational setting for Landsat ETM+
The automated cloud cover assessment (ACCA) algorithm has provided automated estimates of cloud cover for the Landsat ETM+ mission since 2001. However, due to the lack of a band around 1.375 ?m, cloud edges and transparent clouds such as cirrus cannot be detected. Use of Landsat ETM+ imagery for terrestrial land analysis is further hampered by the relatively long revisit period due to a nadir only viewing sensor. In this study, the ACCA threshold parameters were altered to minimise omission errors in the cloud masks. Object-based analysis was used to reduce the commission errors from the extended cloud filters. The method resulted in the removal of optically thin cirrus cloud and cloud edges which are often missed by other methods in sub-tropical areas. Although not fully automated, the principles of the method developed here provide an opportunity for using otherwise sub-optimal or completely unusable Landsat ETM+ imagery for operational applications. Where specific images are required for particular research goals the method can be used to remove cloud and transparent cloud helping to reduce bias in subsequent land cover classifications
cloud, landsat ETM+, remote sensing, object-based analysis, ACCA
0303-2434
220-227
Watmough, Gary R.
6ed84a4f-0106-4665-b810-4fa71baefb8c
Atkinson, Peter M.
96e96579-56fe-424d-a21c-17b6eed13b0b
Hutton, Craig W.
9102617b-caf7-4538-9414-c29e72f5fe2e
Watmough, Gary R.
6ed84a4f-0106-4665-b810-4fa71baefb8c
Atkinson, Peter M.
96e96579-56fe-424d-a21c-17b6eed13b0b
Hutton, Craig W.
9102617b-caf7-4538-9414-c29e72f5fe2e

Watmough, Gary R., Atkinson, Peter M. and Hutton, Craig W. (2011) A combined spectral and object-based approach to transparent cloud removal in an operational setting for Landsat ETM+. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 13 (2), 220-227. (doi:10.1016/j.jag.2010.11.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The automated cloud cover assessment (ACCA) algorithm has provided automated estimates of cloud cover for the Landsat ETM+ mission since 2001. However, due to the lack of a band around 1.375 ?m, cloud edges and transparent clouds such as cirrus cannot be detected. Use of Landsat ETM+ imagery for terrestrial land analysis is further hampered by the relatively long revisit period due to a nadir only viewing sensor. In this study, the ACCA threshold parameters were altered to minimise omission errors in the cloud masks. Object-based analysis was used to reduce the commission errors from the extended cloud filters. The method resulted in the removal of optically thin cirrus cloud and cloud edges which are often missed by other methods in sub-tropical areas. Although not fully automated, the principles of the method developed here provide an opportunity for using otherwise sub-optimal or completely unusable Landsat ETM+ imagery for operational applications. Where specific images are required for particular research goals the method can be used to remove cloud and transparent cloud helping to reduce bias in subsequent land cover classifications

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: April 2011
Keywords: cloud, landsat ETM+, remote sensing, object-based analysis, ACCA

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 177967
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/177967
ISSN: 0303-2434
PURE UUID: 76af5ea3-519f-41a8-993c-5262933680ad
ORCID for Peter M. Atkinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5489-6880
ORCID for Craig W. Hutton: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5896-756X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 23 Mar 2011 15:33
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:47

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Gary R. Watmough
Author: Peter M. Atkinson ORCID iD
Author: Craig W. Hutton ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×