LP DAAC Glossary A through M

BAND (CHANNEL). A slice of wavelengths from the electromagnetic spectrum. [NOAA]

DYNAMIC RANGE. The range between the maximum and minimum amount of input radiant energy that an instrument can measure. [NOAA]

ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION. Energy transfer in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles that propagate through space at the speed of light. [NOAA]

LANDSAT. The Landsat program, first known as the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) Program, is a development of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with NOAA, USGS, and Space Imaging EOSAT. The activities of these combined groups led to the concept of dedicated Earth-orbiting satellites, the defining of spectral and spatial requirements for their instruments, and the fostering of research to determine the best means of extracting and using information from the data.

LEVEL-1 DTED--LEVEL-1 DIGITAL TERRAIN ELEVATION DATA. Level-1 DTED data are summarized as a uniform matrix of terrain elevation values providing basic quantitative data for all military systems that require terrain elevation, slope, and/or gross surface roughness information. Level-1 post spacing is 3 arc seconds (approximately 100 meters). Level-1 DTED data are not released outside the Department of Defense unless specifically authorized by the Headquarters Defense Mapping Agency Release Officer. [Defense Mapping Agency Publications Web site]

MULTISPECTRAL IMAGE. Remote sensing image created using data collected from more than one band. [NOAA]

MSS--MULTISPECTRAL SCANNER. The Landsat MSS sensor is a nonphotographic imaging system which utilizes an oscillating mirror and fiber optic sensor array. The mirror sweeps from side to side, transmitting incoming energy to a detector array which sequentially outputs brightness values (that is, signal strengths) for successive pixels, one swath at a time. The forward motion of the sensor platform carries the instrument to a position along its path where an adjacent swath can be imaged. [Landsat 4 Data Users Handbook]