Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection

Radiometer (ASTER)
The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
(ASTER) is an imaging instrument onboard Terra, the flagship satellite of
NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) launched in December 1999. ASTER
is a cooperative effort between NASA, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry (METI), and Japan Space Systems (J-spacesystems). ASTER
data is used to create detailed maps of land surface temperature,
reflectance, and elevation. The coordinated system of EOS satellites,
including Terra, is a major component of NASA's Science Mission Directorate
and the Earth Science Division. The goal of NASA Earth Science is to
develop a scientific understanding of the Earth as an integrated system, its
response to change, and to better predict variability and trends in climate,
weather, and natural hazards.
ASTER Mission
ASTER is a cooperative effort between NASA and Japan's Ministry of
Economy Trade and Industry (METI), with the collaboration of scientific and
industry organizations in both countries. The ASTER instrument provides the
next generation in remote sensing imaging capabilities when compared to
the older Landsat Thematic Mapper and Japan's JERS-1 OPS scanner. ASTER
captures high spatial resolution data in 14 bands, from the visible to the
thermal infrared wavelengths, and provides stereo viewing capability for
digital elevation model creation. As the "zoom lens" for Terra, ASTER data
are used by other Terra and space-borne instruments for validation and
calibration.
Above is an illustration of the Terra spacecraft with the ASTER instrument
highlighted. The links to the left under "Mission" will tell you about EOS,
science applications, the instrument, and the ASTER airborne simulator.
EOS and Terra
Terra is the flagship of the Earth Observing System, a series of spacecraft
that represents the next landmark step in NASA's role to observe Earth from
the unique vantage point of space. Focused on key measurements identified
by a consensus of U.S. and international scientists, Terra enables new
research into the ways Earths land, oceans, air, ice, and life function as a
total environmental system. Terra was launched into sun-synchronous Earth

orbit on December 18, 1999, and started sending data back to earth in
February 2000.
Terra carries five scientific instruments: ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS, and
MOPITT. You can learn more about this mission at the Terra web site.

Specifications of the Terra Spacecraft

Launch date: December 1999
Orbit:

705 km altitude, sun-synchronous,

so that at any given latitude it
crosses directly overhead at the
same time each day.

Orbit
inclination:

98.3 degrees from the Equator

Orbit period:

98.88 minutes

Equator
crossing:

10.30 a.m. (north to south)

Ground track
repeat cycle:

16 days, i.e. every 16 days (or 233 orbits) the pattern of

orbits repeats itself

Builder:

Lockheed Martin

Science
ASTER, like other high spatial resolution, earth observing instruments,
provides data useful for a wide range of science research and applications.
These include:
Land surface climatology -- investigation of land surface parameters,
surface temperature, etc., to understand land-surface interaction and
energy and moisture fluxes
Vegetation and ecosystem dynamics -- investigations of vegetation and
soil distribution and their changes to estimate biological productivity,
understand land-atmosphere interactions, and detect ecosystem change
Volcano monitoring -- monitoring of eruptions and precursor events, such
as gas emissions, eruption plumes, development of lava lakes, eruptive
history and eruptive potential
Hazard monitoring -- observation of the extent and effects of wildfires,
flooding, coastal erosion, earthquake damage, and tsunami damage
Hydrology -- understanding global energy and hydrologic processes and
their relationship to global change; included is evapotranspiration from
plants
Geology and soils -- the detailed composition and geomorphologic

mapping of surface soils and bedrocks to study land surface processes and
earth's history
Land surface and land cover change -- monitoring desertification,
deforestation, and urbanization; providing data for conservation managers
to monitor protected areas, national parks, and wilderness areas

Geology Applications
The basic tool for geologists in all disciplines is a map depicting the
distribution and identity of rock units exposed at the earths surface. Using
these maps, economic geologists search for metal and petroleum deposits;
hydrogeologists look for ground water; structural geologists classify faults as
active or inactive. With its high spatial resolution, and bands covering a wide
part of the electromagnetic spectrum, ASTER will provide data that will greatly
improve geologists abilities to produce more accurate geologic maps at a
fraction of the cost of conventional ground-based methods.
Cuprite, Nevada
The Cuprite Mining District, located in west-central Nevada, is one of a number
of alteration centers explored for precious metals. Cambrian sedimentary
rocks and Cenozoic volcanic rocks were hydrothermally altered by acid-sulfate
solutions at shallow depth in the Miocene, forming three mappable alteration
assemblages: 1) silicified rocks containing quartz and minor alunite and
kaolinite; 2) opalized rocks containing opal, alunite, and kaolinite; 3) argillized
rocks containing kaolinite and hematite. A general picture of the alteration is
shown in Figure 1, combining bands 4,6, and 8 in RGB and processed to
increase the color saturation.

Figure 1. Cuprite Mining District Nevada displayed using ASTER SWIR bands 46-8 as a RGB composite. Area covered is 15 x 20 km.
Red-pink areas mark mostly opalized rocks with kaolinite and/or alunite; the
white area is Stonewall Playa; green areas are limestones; and blue-gray areas
are unaltered volcanics.
Data from the SWIR region were processed to surface reflectance by EDC and
image spectra were examined for known targets at Cuprite. Evidence of SWIR
crosstalk was apparent, making the data difficult to use for spectral analysis
using direct comparisons with library or field spectra. To reduce the crosstalk
artifacts, a spectrum of Stonewall Playa was used as a bright target,
resampled to the ASTER wavelengths, and divided into the SWIR reflectance
data. Library spectra were compiled for minerals known to occur at Cuprite;
they were then resampled to ASTER SWIR wavelengths. These spectra were
used with a supervised classification algorithm, Spectral Angle Mapper, to map
similar spectral occurrences in the SWIR data. The result of this classification is
shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Spectral Angle Mapper classification of Cuprite SWIR data.

blue=kaolinite;
red=alunite;
light
green=calcite;
dark
green=alunite+kaolinite;
cyan=montmorillonite;
purple=unaltered;
yellow=silica or dickite.
When this map was compared with more detailed mineral classification
produced from AVIRIS data, the correspondence was excellent. The resampled
library spectra are shown in Figure 3 compared with ASTER image spectra
extracted from 3x3 pixel areas.

Figure 3. ASTER image spectra (left) and library spectra(right) for minerals
mapped at Cuprite.

Hydrology Applications
Hydrology is the study of the Earths water system, including the oceans,
lakes, rivers, and the interaction between the oceans and atmosphere.
Because the oceans cover about 70 percent of Earth's surface, they make a
significant contribution to weather and climate. Lakes and rivers are an
integral part of our urban environment, providing transportation, drinking
water, food, and recreation. Human impact on these systems is profound, and
remote sensing can provide a means to monitor and assess this impact.
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Objective
The objective of the Lake Tahoe CA/NV case study is to illustrate the use of
ASTER data for water-related studies.

Introduction
Lake Tahoe is a large lake situated in a granite graben near the crest of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains on the California - Nevada border, at 39 N, 120 W.
The lake level is approximately 1898 m above MSL. The lake is roughly oval in
shape with a N-S major axis (33 km long, 18 km wide), and has a surface area
of 500 km2 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Outline map of Lake Taoe CA/NV

The land portion of the watershed has an area of 800 km2. Lake Tahoe is
considered a deep lake, it is the 11 th deepest lake in the world, with an
average depth of 330 m, maximum depth of 499 m, and a total volume of 156
km3. The surface layer of Lake Tahoe deepens during the fall and winter.
Complete vertical mixing only occurs every few years. Due to its large thermal
mass, Lake Tahoe does not freeze in winter. There are approximately 63
streams flowing into the lake and only one river flowing out of the lake. Lake
Tahoe is renowned for its high water clarity. However, the water clarity has
been steadily declining from a maximum secchi depth of 35 m in the sixties to
its current value of ~20 m. Research by UC Davis has identified that the
decline is in part due to increased algal growth facilitated by an increase in the
amount of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the lake and, in part, due to
accumulation of small suspended inorganic particulates derived from
accelerated basin-wide erosion and atmospheric inputs.

Field Measurements
In order to validate the data from the MODIS and ASTER instruments, the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and UC Davis (UCD) are currently maintaining four
surface sampling stations on Lake Tahoe (Hook et al. 2002). The four stations

(rafts/buoys) are referred to as TR1, TR2, TR3 and TR4 (Figure 1). Each
raft/buoy has a single custom-built self-calibrating radiometer for measuring
the skin temperature and several bulk temperature sensors. The radiometer is
mounted on a pole approximately 1m above the surface of the water that
extends beyond the raft (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Raft measurementss.

The radiometer is orientated such that it measures the skin temperature of the
water directly beneath it. The radiometer is contained in a single box that is 13
cm wide 43 cm long and 23 cm high (Figure 2). The sensor used in the
radiometer is a thermopile detector with a germanium lens embedded in a
copper thermal reservoir. The sensor passes radiation with wavelengths
between 7.8 and 13.6m.The unit is completely self-contained and has an onboard computer and memory and operates autonomously. The unit can store
data on-board for later download or automatically transmit data to an external
data logger. The unit can be powered for short periods (several hours) with its
internal battery or be powered for longer periods with external power. In this
study the radiometer is powered externally and data are transferred to an
external data logger. The radiometer uses a cone blackbody in a near-nulling
mode for calibration and has an accuracy of0.1 K. The accuracy of the
radiometers was confirmed in a recent cross comparison experiment with
several other highly accurate radiometers in both a sea trial and in laboratory
comparisons. It should be noted the current design of both the radiometers
does not include a sky view and therefore the correction for the reflected sky
radiation is made using a radiative transfer model (MODTRAN).

The bulk water temperature is measured with several temperature sensors

mounted on a float tethered behind the raft/buoy (Figure 2). The float was
built in the shape of a letter H and is 203 cm long and 70 cm wide. At the end
of each point of the letter H is a short leg at right angles to the float and the
temperature sensors are attached to the end of the leg approximately 2cm
beneath the surface. Multiple temperature sensors are used to enable cross
verification and each float has up to 12 temperature sensors all at the same
depth. The temperature sensors used include the Optic Stowaway and Hobo
Pro
Temperature
Loggers
available
from
Onset
Corporation
(http://www.onsetcomp.com) and a TempLine system available from Apprise
Technologies (http://www.apprisetech.com). The Optic Stowaway Temperature
Loggers include both the sensor and data logger in a single sealed unit with a
manufacturer specified maximum error of 0.25 C. The Hobo Pro
Temp/External Temperature logger has an external temperature sensor at the
end of a short cable that returns data to a logger and a manufacturer specified
maximum error of 0.2 C. The TempLine system consists of 4 temperature
sensors embedded at different positions along a cable that is attached to a
data logger. The TempLine system has a manufacturer specified error of 0.1
C. Note all sensors are placed at the same depth ensuring both redundancy
and cross verification. The calibration accuracy of the Onset temperature
sensors was checked using a NIST traceable water bath. NIST traceability was
provided by use of a NIST certified reference thermometer. In all cases the
sensors were found to meet the manufacturer specified typical error of 0.12
C. Data collected by the external data logger (radiometer and TempLine
system) can be downloaded automatically via cellular telephone. Currently the
external data logger data are downloaded daily via cellular telephone modem
to JPL allowing near real-time monitoring. A full set of measurements is made
every 2 minutes. However, the units attached to the external data logger can
be remotely re-programmed if a different sampling interval is desired. The
initial rafts are currently being replaced by buoys as pictured above which also
include a meteorological station providing wind speed, wind direction, air
temperature, relative humidity and net radiation (Figure 2). Additional UCD
atmospheric deposition collectors are located on TR2 and TR3.
Both JPL and UCD maintain additional equipment at the US Coast Guard station
that provides atmospheric information (Figure 3). This includes a full
meteorological station (wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative
humidity), full radiation station (long and shortwave radiation up and down), a
shadow band radiometer and an all sky camera. The shadow band radiometer
provides information on total water vapor and aerosol optical depth.

Figure 3. Field measurements at the USCG.

Measurements of algal growth rate using 14C, nutrients (N, P), chlorophyll,
phytoplankton, zooplankton, light, temperature and secchi disk transparency
are also made tri-monthly at the Index station (Figure 1) and monthly samples
for all constituents except algal growth and light are made at the Mid-lake
station (Figure 1). Many samples are taken annually around the Tahoe Basin
to examine stream chemistry and snow and atmospheric deposition
constituents.

Using ASTER to measure water clarity

Currently the decline in water clarity at Lake Tahoe is measured using a secchi
disk a white disk that is lowered into the water until it is no longer visible.
The UC Davis Tahoe Research Group have been making secchi disk
measurements since the mid 60s at two locations on the lake (Midlake and
Index see Figure 1). Such measurements have been used to monitor the
decline in clarity from a maximum of 35 m when measurements began to the
current low of 20 m. These measurements are crucial for monitoring temporal
changes in clarity but provide little information on spatial variations in clarity
across and around the lake. Knowledge of spatial variations in clarity could

prove useful in identifying areas of high nutrient or sediment input into the
lake.
Examination of a color infrared composite image derived from ASTER for Lake
Tahoe (Figure 4) indicates that due to the high clarity the bottom of the lake
is visible for some distance from the shore.

Figure 4. Color Infrared Composite of ASTER bands 3,2,1 as R,G,B

respectively. Red areas indicate vegetation, white areas are snow.
Places where the bottom of the lake is visible appear dark blue, for example
the southern margin of the lake. The bottom is can be seen for the greatest
distance from the shore in ASTER band 1 and this band can be color coded to
show variations in the intensity of the bottom reflectance (Figure 5).

Figure 5. ASTER band 1 (0.52-0.60um) color coded to show variations

in the intensity of the near-shore bottom reflectance.
In this image, areas where the bottom is visible are colored red and green
(greater bottom reflectance is shown in red). Where the lake is blue the
bottom cannot be seen. The depth to which the bottom is visible varies
depending on the clarity of the water. In order to investigate this further an
accurate bathymetric map was registered to the ASTER data. The accuracy of
the bathymetric map is ~0.5 % of the waterdepth. The bathymetric map is
shown in Figure 6 color coded with greater depths shown in blue and
shallower depths shown in red.

Figure 6. Bathymetric map of Lake Tahoe CA/NV.

Once the bathymetric map is registered to the ASTER image the depth at
which the bottom is no longer visible can be determined and can be used to
produce a near shore clarity map shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Near-shore clarity map derived from ASTER data and a

bathymetric map.

Examination of Figure 7 indicates some places where the lake is exceptionally

clear and other areas where it is less so. For example the areas in the
southwest and northeast are particularly clear whereas the area in the
southeast is less clear. There is little sediment input in the southwest and
northeast whereas the Upper Truckee River flows in from the south and
strongly affects the southeast. Further work is underway to validate the
accuracy of this map and look for seasonal changes in clarity as well as
changes over time.
Using ASTER to measure circulation
In addition to making measurements in the reflected infrared, the ASTER
instrument also measures the radiation emitted in the thermal infrared part of
the spectrum. These data can be used to measure the surface temperature
and produce maps of lake surface temperature. Such maps are valuable for
the understanding of a variety of processes in lakes, such as wind-induced
upwelling events and surface water transport patterns.
In order to derive the surface temperature it is necessary to correct the data
for atmospheric effects. Two approaches are commonly used to correct the
data. The most common approach is a split-window algorithm. In the splitwindow algorithm the at-sensor radiances are regressed against simultaneous
ground measurements to derive a set of coefficients that can then be used to
correct other datasets without ground measurements. Alternatively a physicsbased approach can be used which couples a surface temperature and
emissivity model with a radiative transfer model. The ASTER team has
developed a physics based approach for extracting temperature and emissivity
and a user can order either a surface temperature (AST08) or surface
emissivity (AST05) product.
The image below (Figure 8) shows an at-sensor brightness temperature
image for Lake Tahoe from ASTER data acquired at night on June 3 rd 2001.
Examination of the image indicates a strong cold plume of water originating in
the west, traveling across the lake to the east shore, then spreading north and
south. The cold plume of water is the result of a wind-induced upwelling event
in west. The upwelling is induced by strong, persistent winds from the
southwest which move the surface water to the east allowing the deep cold
water in the west to upwell. The cold water is nutrient rich compared with the
warmer surface waters which have been depleted of nutrients. The
temperature images from ASTER can be used to map these nutrient pathways
which help explain the distribution of organic matter and fine sediments
around the lake.

Figure 8. ASTER band 13 brightness temperature image of Lake Tahoe

acquired June 3, 2001.

Application in Urban Ecology

URBAN ECOLOGY
Human activities significantly alter the geomorphology, ecology, and
climatology of the Earth at local, regional, and global scales. Nowhere is this

more apparent than in cities, which can be thought of as human-dominated

ecosystems. Cities alter surface and subsurface hydrologic and
biogeochemical processes by replacing pervious with impervious materials;
change local to regional climate by altering surface energy balances and
releasing various pollutants into the atmosphere; and influence biodiversity by
fragmenting or destroying habitats.
The expansion of cities due to population growth and migration from rural to
urban areas increasingly exposes humans to a variety of obvious (volcanoes,
earthquakes, hurricanes) and more subtle (fugitive dust, subsidence, slope
failures) geohazards. Use of remotely sensed data is frequently the only costeffective and timely means to characterize and assess ecological, geological,
and climatic changes resulting from urban expansion or redevelopment. The
ASTER sensor provides high to moderately high resolution data in three
wavelength regions useful for investigation of a wide range of urban
processes.
Urban Land Cover and Spatial Structure, Phoenix AZ
The high spatial resolution of ASTER in the visible to near infrared bands (15
m/pixel) allows for detailed land cover classification of urban and peri-urban
regions. Land cover classification of urban regions is useful for a range of
applications including urban growth change detection, hydrology studies, and
as input into climate models. Figure 1 is a land cover classification of the
eastern portion of the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan region, and illustrates the
spatial and class detail extractable from ASTER data.

Figure 1. Land cover classification of eastern Phoenix metropolitan area.

Land cover data can be further analysed using landscape metrics to obtain
quantitative measures of urban spatial structure useful for ecological, climatic,
and demographic studies. There are a large number of metrics available for
urban analysis; some examples include class area, mean patch size (a
measure of the clump size of similarly classified pixels), edge density (a
measure of patch or class neighborhood shape complexity), and
interspersion/juxtaposition index (how dispersed or clumped together a class is
on the landscape). Figure 2 depicts the interspersion/juxtaposition index (IJI)
for the Built land cover classes in the Phoenix urban core area, and illustrates
the relatively high degree of mixing with other land cover classes in the
region.

Figure 2. Interspersion/Juxtaposition Index calculated from Phoenix land cover

data.

Measurement of Surficial Biogeophysical Variables

The broad wavelength coverage of ASTER allows for measurement of
important biogeophysical variables in urban/peri-urban regions such as
vegetation density. Using simple vegetation indices, high spatial resolution
urban vegetation maps can be made rapidly. This information is immediately
useful to ecologists and city planners for assessment of urban park extent and
health. Vegetion density is also important for modeling of urban climate,
hydrology, and water use. Figure 3 is a color ramped Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI) of downtown London; regions with an NDVI value
approaching 1 have high density of actively photosynthesizing vegetation, and
regions with values approaching -1 have little to no vegetation. The ASTER
visible-near infrared (VNIR) data used to calculate the NDVI is included for
comparison.

Figure 3. NDVI and ASTER vnir data for downtown London metro area.

Collection of multispectral thermal infrared data is a particular strength of

ASTER. Nighttime data acquisitions over urban regions can be used to create
maps of urban/peri-urban surface temperature that are invaluable for
assessment of urban heat islands. The distribution of built materials
throughout the urban landscape are of obvious importance in constructing
thermal budgets, but consideration of the potential contributions of
surrounding natural materials to the regional thermal budget is also important.
For example, the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan region is bounded by mountain
ranges with little vegetation cover; these ranges act as large thermal emitters
during the night and have surface temperatures equivalent to urban core
asphalt and concrete (Figure 4). This surface temperature information is
valuable for investigation of urban climatic patterns and initialization of
climate models.

Figure 4. Surface temperature map of the Phoenix metropolitan area. North is

to top of image.

The
ASTER The ASTER instrument consists of three separate
instrument subsystems. Each subsystem operates in a
Clickable
different spectral region, has its own telescope(s), and was
Instrument
built by a different Japanese company.
ASTER's three subsystems are: the Visible and Near
Infrared (VNIR), the Shortwave Infrared (SWIR), and the
Thermal Infrared (TIR). To find out more about each
module click on the item of interest.

ASTER Instrument Subsystems

VNIR

The VNIR subsystem operates in three spectral bands at visible and near-IR
wavelengths, with a resolution of 15 m. It consists of two telescopes--one
nadir-looking with a three-spectral-band detector, and the other backwardlooking with a single-band detector. The backward-looking telescope
provides a second view of the target area in Band 3 for stereo observations.
Thermal control of the CCD detectors is provided by a platform-provided
cold plate. Cross-track pointing to 24 degrees on either side of the track is
accomplished by rotating the entire telescope assembly. Band separation is
through a combination of dichroic elements and interference filters that
allow all three bands to view the same ground area simultaneously. The
data rate is 62 Mbps when all four bands are operating. Two on-board
halogen lamps are used for calibration of the nadir-looking detectors. This
calibration source is always in the optical path.

SWIR
The SWIR subsystem operates in six spectral bands in the near-IR region
through a single, nadir-pointing telescope that provides 30 m resolution.
Cross-track pointing ( 8.550) is accomplished by a pointing mirror.
Because of the size of the detector/filter combination, the detectors must
be widely spaced, causing a parallax error of about 0.5 pixels per 900 m of
elevation. This error is correctable if elevation data, such as a DEM, are
available. Two on-board halogen lamps are used for calibration in a manner
similar to that used for the VNIR subsystem, however, the pointing mirror
must turn to see the calibration source. The maximum data rate is 23 Mbps.

TIR
The TIR subsystem operates in five bands in the thermal infrared region
using a single, fixed-position, nadir-looking telescope with a resolution of 90
m. Unlike the other instrument subsystems, it has a "whiskbroom" scanning
mirror. Each band uses 10 detectors in a staggered array with optical
bandpass filters over each detector element. The maximum data rate is 4.2
Mbps. The scanning mirror functions both for scanning and cross-track
pointing (to 8.55 degrees). In the scanning mode, the mirror oscillates at
about 7 Hz and, during oscillation, data are collected in one direction only.
During calibration, the scanning mirror rotates 90 degrees from the nadir
position to view an internal black body. Because of the instrument's high
data rate, restrictions have been imposed so that the average data rate is
manageable by the spacecraft data management system. This restriction is
a one-orbit maximum average rate of 16.6 Mbps and a two-orbit maximum
average rate of 8.3 Mbps, which results in approximately a 9.3% duty cycle.

ASTER Instrument Characteristics

Characteristic
Spectral Range

Ground Resolution
Data Rate (Mbits/sec)
Cross-track Pointing (deg.)
Cross-track Pointing (km)
Swath Width (km)
Detector Type
Quantization (bits)
System Response Function

VNIR
Band 1: 0.52 - 0.60 m
Nadir looking
Band 2: 0.63 - 0.69 m
Nadir looking
Band 3: 0.76 - 0.86 m
Nadir looking
Band 3: 0.76 - 0.86 m
Backward looking
15 m
62
24
318
60
Si
8
VNIR Chart
VNIR Data

SWIR

TIR

Band 4: 1.600 - 1.700 m Band 10: 8.125 - 8.475 m

Band 5: 2.145 - 2.185 m Band 11: 8.475 - 8.825 m
Band 6: 2.185 - 2.225 m Band 12: 8.925 - 9.275 m
Band 7: 2.235 - 2.285 m Band 13: 10.25 - 10.95 m
Band 8: 2.295 - 2.365 m Band 14: 10.95 - 11.65 m
Band 9: 2.360 - 2.430 m
30m
90m
23
4.2
8.55
8.55
116
116
60
60
PtSi-Si
HgCdTe
8
12
SWIR Chart
TIR Chart
SWIR Data
TIR Data

VNIR

Backward Looking Telescope (RED) - The VNIR subsystem backward looking

telescope is of the same design as the nadir telescope and contains only a

single silicon charge coupled detector line array and no calibration lamps as it
is only used to acquire a stereo pair image.
Nadir Looking Telescope (Dark Blue) - The VNIR subsystem nadir looking
telescope is a reflecting-refracting improved Schmidt design. The focal plane
of this telescope contains three 5000 silicon charge coupled detector line
arrays. The nadir and backward looking telescope pair are used for same orbit
stereo imaging and can be rotated as a unit +/- 24 degrees to provide
extensive cross-track pointing capability. Light from either of two halogen
lamps are used periodically for subsystem calibration.

VNIR Design.
The VNIR subsystem consists of two independent telescope assemblies to
minimize image distortion in the backward and nadir looking telescopes.
The detectors for each of the bands listed in Table II consist of 5000 element
silicon charge coupled detectors (CCD's). Only 4000 of these detectors are
used at any one time. A time lag occurs between the acquisition of the
backward image and the nadir image. During this time earth rotation
displaces the image center. The VNIR subsystem automatically extracts the
correct 4000 pixels based on orbit position information supplied by the EOS
platform.
The VNIR optical system is a reflecting-refracting improved Schmidt design.
The backward looking telescope focal plane contains only a single detector
array (Band 3 of Table II) and uses an interference filter for wavelength
discrimination. The focal plane of the nadir telescope contains 3 line arrays
(Bands 1-3 of Table II) and uses a dichroic prism and interference filters for
spectral separation allowing all three bands to view the same area
simultaneously. The telescope and detectors are maintained at 296 + 3K
using thermal control and cooling from a platform provided cold plate. Onboard calibration of the two VNIR telescopes is accomplished with either of
two independent calibration devices for each telescope. The radiation
source is a halogen lamp. A diverging beam from the lamp filament is input
to the first optical element (Schmidt corrector) of the telescope subsystem
filling part of the aperture. The detector elements are uniformly irradiated
by this beam. In each calibration device, two silicon photo-diodes are used
to monitor the radiance of the lamp. One photo-diode monitors the filament
directly and the second monitors the calibration beam just in front of the
first optical element of the telescope. The temperature of the lamp base
and the photo-diodes is also monitored. Provision for electrical calibration of
the electronic components is also provided.
The system signal-to-noise is controlled by specifying the NE delta rho to be
< 0.5% referenced to a diffuse target with a 70% albedo at the equator
during equinox. The absolute radiometric accuracy is to be + 4% or better.
The VNIR subsystem produces by far the highest data rate of the three
ASTER imaging subsystems. With all four bands operating (3 nadir and 1

backward) the data rate including image data, supplemental information

and subsystem engineering data is 62 Mbps.

SWIR

Cryocooler (Green) - The platinum Silicide-Silicon Schottky barrier linear

detector array in each of the six SWIR channels are cooled to 80 K using a
mechanical split Stirling cycle cooler of long life and low vibration design.
Pointing Module (Blue) - The pointing mirror can point +/- 8.54 degrees
from the nadir direction to allow coverage of any point on the earth over
the spacecraft's 16 day mapping cycle. This mirror is also periodically
used to direct light from either of two calibration lamps into the
subsystem's telescope.
Telescope (Red) - The SWIR subsystem uses a single fixed aspheric
refracting telescope.

SWIR Design.
The SWIR subsystem uses a single aspheric refracting telescope. The
detector in each of the six bands (Table II) is a Platinum Silicide-Silicon (PtSiSi) Schottky barrier linear array cooled to 80K. Cooling is provided by a split
Stirling cycle cryocooler with opposed compressors and an active balancer

to compensate for the expander displacer. The on-orbit design life of this
cooler is to be 50,000 hours. Although ASTER will operate with a low duty
cycle (8% average data collection time) the cryocooler will operate
continuously because the cool-down and stabilization time is long. No
cyrocooler has yet demonstrated this length of performance and the
development of this long-life cooler is one of several major technical
challenges facing the ASTER team.
The cryocooler is a major source of heat. Because the cooler is attached to
the SWIR telescope, which must be free to move to provide cross-track
pointing, this heat cannot be removed using a platform provided cold plate.
This heat is transferred to a local radiator attached to the cooler compressor
and radiated to space.
Six optical bandpass filters are used to provide spectral separation. No
prisms or dichroic elements are used for this purpose. A calibration device
similar to that used for the VNIR subsystem is used for inflight calibration.
The exception is that the SWIR subsystem has only one such device.
The NE delta rho will vary from 0.5 to 1.3% across the bands from short to
long wavelength. These performance estimates may be optimistic for the
bandpasses given in Table II. since bands 5-9 are narrower than those used
in developing the conceptual design. The absolute radiometric accuracy is
to be +4% or better. The combined data rate for all six SWIR bands,
including supplementary telemetry and engineering telemetry, is 23 Mbps.

TIR

Cryocooler (Yellow) - The ten Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride detectors in

each of the five TIR channels are cooled to 80 K using a mechanical split
Stirling cycle cooler of long life and low vibration design.
Reference Plate (Black Body) (Green) - A high emissivity reference plate
is used as the on-board calibration reference for the TIR subsystem. This
reference plate is viewed before and after each observation to provide an
estimate of instrument drift and periodically this plate is heated through
a range of temperature to provide an estimate for both instrument gain
and offset.
Scan Mirror (Red) - The scan mirror is used for both scanning and
pointing. In the scanning mode the mirror oscillates across the ground
track at about 7 Hz. This mirror can point +/- 8.54 degrees from the nadir
direction to allow coverage of any point on the earth over the
spacecraft's 16 day mapping cycle. This mirror can also rotate 180
degrees from the nadir direction to provide a view of the reference plate
for calibration.
Telescope (Blue) - The TIR subsytem uses a Newtonian catadioptric
system with an aspheric primary mirror and lens for aberration
correction. Unlike the VNIR telescope, the telescope of the TIR subsystem
is fixed and both pointing and scanning is done by the mirror.

TIR Design.
The TIR subsystem uses a Newtonian catadioptric system with an aspheric
primary mirror and lenses for aberration correction. Unlike the VNIR and
SWIR telescopes, the telescope of the TIR subsystem is fixed with pointing
and scanning done by a mirror. Each band uses 10 Mercury-CadmiumTelluride (HgCdTe) detectors in a staggered array with optical band-pass
filters (Table II) over each detector element. Each detector has its own preand post-amplifier for a total of 50. Performance of the system will be
improved if photovoltaic detectors can be used. Development of such
detectors is a technical challenge.
As with the SWIR subsystem, the TIR subsystem will use a mechanical split
Stirling cycle cooler for maintaining the detectors at 80K. In this case, since
the cooler is fixed, the waste heat it generates will be removed using a
platform supplied cold plate.
The scanning mirror functions both for scanning and pointing. In the
scanning mode the mirror oscillates at about 7 Hz. For calibration, the
scanning mirror rotates 180 degrees from the nadir position to view an
internal black body which can be heated or cooled. The scanning/pointing
mirror design precludes a view of cold space, so at any one time only a one
point temperature calibration can be effected. The system does contain a
temperature controlled and monitored chopper to remove low frequency
drift. In flight, a single point calibration can be done frequently (e.g., every
observation) if necessary. On a less frequent interval, the black body may

be cooled or heated (to a maximum temperature of 340K) to provide a

multipoint thermal calibration. Facility for electrical calibration of the postamplifiers is also provided. Another major technical challenge facing the
ASTER team is to establish before flight that the elements of the inflight
calibration and subsystem design will permit high quality accurate thermal
radiometry.
For the TIR subsystem, the signal-to-noise can be expressed in terms of an
NE delta T. The requirement is that the NE delta T be less than 0.3K for all
bands with a design goal of less than 0.2K. The signal reference for NE delta
T is a blackbody emitter at 300K. The accuracy requirements on the TIR
subsystem are given for each of several brightness temperature ranges as
follows: 200 - 240K, 3K; 240 - 270K, 2K; 270 - 340K, 1K; and 340 - 370K, 2K.
The total data rate for the TIR subsystem, including supplementary
telemetry and engineering telemetry, is 4.2 Mbps. Because the TIR
subsystem can return useful data both day and night, the duty cycle for this
subsystem has been set at 16%. The cryocooler, like that of the SWIR
subsystem, will operate with a 100% duty cycle.

ASTER Data Products

ASTER provides the user community with Standard Data Products
throughout the life of the mission. Algorithms to compute these products
were created by the ASTER Science Team, and are implemented at the Land
Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC). Users can search
and browse these products through GDS and NASA Reverb. Billable orders
must be processed through the GDS IMS interface. A summary of ASTER
data
access
policies
is
available
from
the
LP
DAAC:
https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/lpdaac/customer_service/aster_policies
Standard data products
Lev
el

Shortna
me

1A

AST_L1A

Reconstructed Unprocessed Instrument Data

15,
90

30,

1B

AST_L1B

Registered Radiance at the Sensor

15,
90

30,

1A

AST_L1AE

Reconstructed Unprocessed Instrument Data - 15,

Expedited
90

30,

1B

AST_L1BE

Registered Radiance at the Sensor - Expedited

15,
90

30,

AST_09

Surface Radiance - VNIR & SWIR

15, 30

AST_09T

Surface Radiance TIR

90

AST_09XT

Surface Radiance - VNIR & Crosstalk Corrected 15, 30

SWIR

AST_07

Surface Reflectance - VNIR & SWIR

AST_07XT

Surface Reflectance
Corrected SWIR

AST_08

Surface Kinetic Temperature

90

AST_05

Surface Emissivity

90

ASTGTM

ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model

30 grid

AST14DEM

Digital Elevation Model

30

AST14OTH

Registered Radiance
Orthorectified

- 15,
90

30,

AST14DMO Digital Elevation Model & Registered Radiance 15,

30,

ASTER Product

Res (m)

VNIR

at

the

15, 30

&

Crosstalk 15, 30

Sensor

at the Sensor - Orthorectified

90

The ASTER Level-1A data set contains reconstructed, instrument digital

numbers (DNs) derived from the telemetry streams of the 3 telescopes: Visible
Near Infrared (VNIR), Shortwave Infrared (SWIR), and Thermal Infrared (TIR).
The Level-1A data contains depacketized, demultiplexed, and realigned
instrument image data with their geometric correction coefficients and
radiometric calibration coefficients calculated and appended but not applied. It
also includes corrections for the SWIR parallax, and intra- and inter-telescope
registration information.
Converting Level-1A DNs to Scaled DNs
An ASTER Level-1A data set contains raw digital numbers (DNs) quantized as
8-bit unsigned integers. To convert these to scaled or calibrated DNs, the
ASTER Level-1A DNs are converted on a detector-by- detector basis using the
Slope/Inclination (A), Gain (G) and Offset (D) values from the Radiometric
Conversion Coefficients (RCC) table that is appended with the Level-1A data
set in the HDF-EOS file. The RCC information determines how the Level-1A DNs
are converted into Level-1B calibrated DNs. The gain and offset information in
the RCC table are used in that conversion. Information from both the On-Board
and Vicarious Calibration sources are used in the generation of RCC table.
The RCC table is one of several ancillary tables bundled with the ASTER Level1A data. It contains three columns (Structure of the RCC table):
VNIR and SWIR

TIR

D: Offset

D: Offset

A: Slope/Inclination

A: Slope/Inclination

G: Gain

C: Nonlinear Coefficient

These three sets of values are provided for each sensor, band (channel) and
detector. Each row corresponds to a specific detector. For example, the RCC
table for the VNIR bands would include the offset, slope/inclination, and gain
columns for each of the 4100 detectors for bands 1, 2, and 3N, and 5000
detectors of band 3B. This is consistent with VNIRs pushbroom sensor
configuration flying in the along-track direction. The Detector- Pixel Position
Relationship diagram depicts the relationship between the detector number
and the image pixel position. Note that this relationship is reversed for the
VNIR and SWIR bands. The detector number 1 corresponds to the left-end
column pixel for VNIR bands while it corresponds to the right-end column pixel
for the SWIR bands.
ASTER Level-1A DNs can be converted to at-sensor radiance thus:

LVNIR, SWIR = AV/G + D

LTIR = AV + CV2 + D

L: Scaled Radiance (in w/m2/sr/m)

A: Linear Coefficient

C: Non-linear Coefficient

G: Gain

D: Offset

V: Signal (DN value)

Data Set Characteristics

Area

~60 km x 60 km

Image Dimensions - VNIR

4200 rows x 4100 columns

Image Dimensions - VNIR (3B)

5400 rows x 5000 columns

Image Dimensions - SWIR

2100 rows x 2048 columns

Image Dimensions - TIR

700 rows x 700 columns

File Size Total

110 MB

File Size - VNIR (1, 2, 3N)

~50 MB

File Size - VNIR (3B)

~30 MB

File Size - SWIR (4 through 9)

~25MB

File Size - TIR (10 through 14)

~5 MB

Spatial Resolution - VNIR

15 m

Spatial Resolution - SWIR

30 m

Spatial Resolution - TIR

90 m

Data Format

HDF-EOS or GeoTIFF

Vgroup Data Fields

15

The ASTER Level-1B Registered Radiance at the Sensor product contains

radiometrically calibrated and geometrically co-registered data for the
acquired channels of the three different telescopes of Level-1A data. The
Level-1B data set is produced by applying the radiometric calibration and
geometric correction coefficients to the Level-1A. Both intra-telescope and
inter-telescope registration correction for all the bands are accomplished
relative to the reference band for each sub-system (Bands 2, 6, and 11). The
Level-1B radiance data set offers the same number of bands at the same
resolution as the Level-1A, and provides the input for generating a number of
derived Level-2 geophysical products. Since March 2000, the Ground Data
System (GDS) facility in Tokyo, Japan produced the Level-1B data sets, and
sent them to the Land Processes (LP) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC)
for archiving, distribution, and higher-level processing. That practice has
changed to an on-demand paradigm as explained in the next section.
Data Set Characteristics
Area

~60 km x 60 km

Image Dimensions - VNIR

4200 rows x 4980 columns

Image Dimensions - VNIR (3B)

4600 rows x 4980 columns

Image Dimensions - SWIR

2100 rows x 2490 columns

Image Dimensions - TIR

700 rows x 830 columns

File Size Total

118 MB

File Size - VNIR (1, 2, 3N)

~60 MB

File Size - VNIR (3B)

~22 MB

File Size - SWIR (4 through 9)

~30 MB

File Size - TIR (10 through 14)

~6 MB

Spatial Resolution - VNIR

15 m

Spatial Resolution - SWIR

30 m

Spatial Resolution - TIR

90 m

Projection

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Data Format

HDF-EOS or GeoTIFF

Vgroup Data Fields

15

The ASTER Expedited L1A Reconstructed Unprocessed Instrument Data is produced with the
express purpose of providing the ASTER Science Team members data of their particular interest in

quick turn-around time from the moment the data are acquired. This is usually done to support ongoing field calibration and validation efforts or to support emergency response to natural disasters
when processed Level-1 data with minimum turn-around time would prove beneficial in initial
damage or impact assessments. This data set is expected to be publicly available for a period of 30
days after which time it will be removed from the archive. This is done because the routinely
processed (Production Data Set or PDS) version of this data set will be available from Japan in due
course and available for search and order from the LP DAAC archives. ASTER Expedited Data
Sets (EDS) serve the short-term requirements of a small group of scientists and fulfill immediate
imagery needs during times of natural disasters.
The general product description details as described for the ASTER Level 1A Data Set Reconstructed, unprocessed Instrument Data apply to the expedited data set with a few notable
exceptions. These include:

the Expedited Level-1A data set does not contain the VNIR 3B (aft-viewing) Band

this data set does not have short-term calibration for the Thermal Infrared (TIR) sensor

the registration quality of this data set is likely to be lower, and also vary from scene to
scene

The Level-0 data downlink from the Tracking Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) at White
Sands, NM is received at the EOS Data Operations System (EDOS) facility at the Goddard Space
Flight Center (GSFC). Following some pre-processing, EDOS directly transmits that data (via the
GSFC DAAC) to LP DAAC where the data are processed and the level-1 EDS is produced. The
ASTER Level-1AE product contains reconstructed, unprocessed instrument digital data derived
from the telemetry streams of the 3 telescopes at their respective ground resolutions: Visible Near
Infrared (VNIR), 15 m, Shortwave Infrared (SWIR), 30 m, and Thermal Infrared (TIR), 90 m.
There is no browse product provided for the expedited L1A data set.
Data Set Characteristics
Area

~60 km x 60 km

File Size Total

85 MB

File Size - VNIR (1, 2, 3N)

~49.3 MB

File Size - SWIR (4 through 9)

~25 MB

File Size - TIR (10 through 14)

~4.7 MB

Spatial Resolution - VNIR

15 m

Spatial Resolution - SWIR

30 m

Spatial Resolution - TIR

90 m

Data Format

HDF-EOS or GeoTIFF

Vgroup Data Fields

14

The ASTER On-Demand L2 Surface Radiance is a multi-file product that contains atmospherically
corrected data for both the Visible Near-Infrared (VNIR) and Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) sensors.
Each product delivery includes two hdf files: one for the VNIR, and the other for the SWIR. They
are distinguished from one another by a one-second difference in the production time that appears
as part of the file name. The more obvious distinguishing feature is the file size. VNIR is always
the bigger of the two.
VNIR & SWIR Descriptions
The ASTER On-Demand L2 Surface Radiance (VNIR) is a higher-level product that contains
atmospherically corrected visible and near-infrared data. It is generated using the 3 VNIR bands
(between 0.52 and 0.86 m) from an ASTER Level-1B image.
The ASTER On-Demand L2 Surface Radiance (SWIR Crosstalk-Uncorrected) is a higher-level
product that contains atmospherically corrected shortwave infra-red data. It is
generated using the 6 SWIR bands (between 1.60 and 2.43 m) from an ASTER
Level-1B image.
Atmospheric correction involves deriving a relationship between the surface
radiance/reflectance and the top of the atmosphere radiance from information
on the scattering and absorbing characteristics of the atmosphere. Once this
relationship is established, it is used to convert ASTER VNIR's original radiance
values to atmospherically corrected surface radiance and reflectance values.
The atmospheric correction algorithm for VNIR is based on a Look-Up Table
(LUT) approach that uses results from a Gauss-Seidel iteration of the Radiative
Transfer Code (RTC).
This methodology is derived from the reflectance-based, vicarious calibration
approach of the Remote Sensing Group at the University of Arizona. The
algorithm is based on the relationship between the angular distribution of
radiance, scattering and absorption in the atmosphere, and the surface
properties. The RTC used to generate the LUT for the atmospheric correction is
based on the following parameters: solar zenith angle, satellite view angle,
relative azimuth angle between the satellite and sun, molecular scattering
optical depth, aerosol scattering optical depth, aerosol scatter albedo, aerosol
size distribution parameter, and surface reflectance. The size distributions for
aerosol are based on either a Junge size distribution or on the set of aerosol
types used in the atmospheric correction of Multi-angle Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MISR) data.
The initial versions of the algorithm rely on external climatological sources for
information on atmospheric absorption and scattering parameters. Eventually,
this information is likely to come from other Terra sensors like MISR and the
Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). A digital elevation

model provides the slope and elevation information for accurate modeling of
surface reflectance.
ASTER is capable of collecting in-track stereo using nadir- and aft-looking near
infrared cameras. Since 2001, these stereo pairs have been used to produce
single-scene (60- x 60-kilomenter (km)) digital elevation models (DEM) having
vertical (root-mean-squared-error) accuracies generally between 10- and 25meters (m).
The methodology used by Japan's Sensor Information Laboratory Corporation
(SILC) to produce the ASTER GDEM involves automated processing of the
entire ASTER Level-1A archive. Stereo-correlation is used to produce over one
million individual scene-based ASTER DEMs, to which cloud masking is applied
to remove cloudy pixels. All cloud-screened DEMS are stacked and residual
bad values and outliers are removed. Selected data are averaged to create
final pixel values, and residual anomalies are corrected before partitioning the
data into 1 degree () x 1 tiles.
The ASTER GDEM covers land surfaces between 83N and 83S and is
comprised of 22,702 tiles. Tiles that contain at least 0.01% land area are
included. The ASTER GDEM is distributed as Geographic Tagged Image File
Format (GeoTIFF) files with geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude). The
data are posted on a 1 arc-second (approximately 30m at the equator) grid
and referenced to the 1984 World Geodetic System (WGS84)/ 1996 Earth
Gravitational Model (EGM96) geoid.
While the ASTER GDEM 2 benefits from substantial improvements over GDEM
1, users are nonetheless advised that the products still may contain anomalies
and artifacts that will reduce its usability for certain applications, because they
can introduce large elevation errors on local scales. The data are provided as
is and neither NASA nor METI/ERSDAC will be responsible for any damages
resulting from use of the data.
The generation and basic characteristics of the ASTER GDEM were summarized
in a presentation by Tetsushi Tachikawa, et al., at the 2011 Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Geoscience and
Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS).
Data Set Characteristics
Tile Size

3601 x 3601 (1 degree by 1 degree)

Pixel Size

1 arc-second

Geographic
coordinates

Geographic latitude and longitude

DEM output format

GeoTIFF, signed 16 bits in units of vertical meters

Geoid reference

WGS84/EGM96

Special DN values

-9999 for void pixels, and 0 for sea water body

Tile volume

25 MB uncompressed, 45 MB compressed

Coverage

North 83 degrees to south 83 degrees, 22,702 tiles

On Demand Surface Kinetic Temperature

Short Name:
AST_08
Short Name: AST_08

Sample image of L2 Surface Kinetic Temperature.

The ASTER On-Demand L2 Surface Kinetic Temperature is an on-demand
product generated using the five thermal infrared (TIR) bands (acquired either
during the day or night time) between 8 and 12 m spectral range. It contains
surface temperatures at 90 m spatial resolution for the land areas only.
Surface Kinetic Temperature provides a vital input to studies of volcanism,
thermal inertia, surface energy, and high-resolution mapping of fires.
This product is derived using the same algorithm as the Surface Emissivity
Product. Surface kinetic temperature is determined by applying Planck's Law
using the emissivity values from the Temperature-Emissivity Separation (TES)
algorithm, which uses atmospherically corrected ASTER Surface Radiance (TIR)
data. The TES algorithm first estimates emissivities in the TIR channels using
the Normalized Emissivity Method (NEM). These estimates are used along with
Kirchoff's Law to account for the land-leaving TIR radiance that is due to sky

irradiance. That figure is subtracted from TIR radiance iteratively to estimate

the emitted radiance from which temperature is calculated using the NEM
module.
Data Set Characteristics
Area

~60 km x 60 km

Image Dimensions

700 rows x 830 columns

File Size

~4 MB

Spatial Resolution - TIR

90 m

Units

(K) (T multiplied by 0.1)

Projection

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Data Format

HDF-EOS or GeoTIFF

Vgroup Data Fields

Surface Radiance: 1

AST14DEM
Short Name: AST14DEM
A sample image of an ASTER Digital Elevation Model.
The ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) product is generated using bands 3N
(nadir-viewing) and 3B (backward-viewing) of an ASTER Level-1A image
acquired by the Visible Near Infrared (VNIR) sensor. The VNIR subsystem
includes two independent telescope assemblies that facilitate the generation
of stereoscopic data. The Band-3 stereo pair is acquired in the spectral range
of 0.78 and 0.86 microns with a base-to-height ratio of 0.6 and an intersection
angle of about 27.7. There is a time lag of approximately one minute between
the acquisition of the nadir and backward images. View a diagram depicting
the along-track imaging geometry of the ASTER VNIR nadir and backwardviewing sensors.
Starting in early summer of 2006, LP DAAC has implemented a new production
software for efficiently creating quality DEMs. Based on an automated stereocorrelation method, the new software generates a relative DEM without any
ground control points (GCPs). It utilizes the ephemeris and attitude data
derived from both the ASTER instrument and the Terra spacecraft platform.
The new ASTER DEM is a single-band product with 30-meters horizontal
postings that is geodetically referenced to the UTM coordinate system, and
referenced to the Earth's geoid using the EGM96 geopotential model.
Compared to ASTER DEMs previously available from the LP DAAC, users likely
will note some differences in ASTER DEMs produced by the new system,
because DEMs now are produced automatically, with no manual editing. Larger

water bodies are detected and typically have a single value, but they no
longer are manually edited. Any failed areas, while infrequent, remain as they
occur. Cloudy areas typically appear as bright regions, rather than as manually
edited dark areas.
The accuracy of the new LP DAAC-produced DEMs will meet or exceed
accuracy specifications set for the ASTER relative DEMs by the applicable
Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD). Users likely will find that the
DEMs produced by the new DAAC system have accuracies approaching those
specified in the ATBD for absolute DEMs. Validation testing has shown that
DEMs produced by the new system frequently are more accurate than 25
meters RMSExyz.
Data Set Characteristics
Area

~60 km x 60 km (ASTER Level-1A input image)

File Size Total

25 MB

Input Image Resolution

15 m

Output Image Resolution

30 m

Data Type

16-bit signed integer

Data Format

GeoTIFF

Vgroup Data Fields

14

AST14OTH
Short Name: AST14OTH
This is an Orthorectified ASTER Level-1B image of the northwestern part of Los
Angeles County with a backdrop of the Tehachapi mountains. In the lower right
is the northwestern end of the San Fernando Valley with Santa Clarita to its
north. In the middle right is Castaic Lake with Interstate-5 trending northwest
to southeast. Healthy vegetation appears in red in contrast to a couple of burn
scars, one in the middle left (north of Simi Valley), while the other one in the
north in the Angeles National Forest.
Users are advised that ASTER SWIR data acquired from late April 2008 to the
present exhibit anomalous saturation of values and anomalous striping. This
effect is also present for some prior acquisiton periods. Please refer to the
ASTER SWIR User Advisory Document for more details.
The ASTER On-Demand Orthorectified Image products contain imagery
transformed from a perspective projection to an orthogonal one. An
orthorectified image possesses the geometric characteristics of a map, with
near-vertical views for every location. These products are terrain-corrected,

provide radiometrically calibrated radiance, and are mapped to the Universal

Transverse Mercator coordinate system.
The inputs include the following: an ASTER Level-1A Reconstructed
Unprocessed Instrument data set; georeferencing information from the ASTER
instrument's and Terra platform's ephemeris and attitude data; and an ASTERderived digital elevation model (DEM). The output product includes fifteen
orthorectified ASTER Level-1B calibrated radiance images, one per band, as
listed below.
Differences between
Orthorectified Images

an

ASTER

Level-1B

data

set

and

ASTER

ASTER Level-1B data consist of calibrated radiance in a path-oriented

UTM projection, whereas ASTER orthorectified images are presented in a
north-up UTM projection. ASTER orthorectified images possess the
geometric characteristics of a map with near-vertical views for every
location, and they also are terrain-corrected.

ASTER L1B image dimensions for each of the three sensor systems
(VNIR, SWIR, and TIR) are different because of their different spatial
resolutions; those image dimensions remain constant from one L1B
scene to another. However, ASTER orthorectified image dimensions can
vary from scene to scene. This is because the image dimensions of the
ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) used in the orthorectification
process can vary, and the DEMs image dimensions define the output
dimensions for each of the three sensors orthorectified images.

The ASTER Level-1B data set is provided in a single multi-file packaged

Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) with specific EOS conventions. The
ASTER orthorectified image file format is GeoTIFF. The file includes
fifteen orthorectified ASTER Level-1B calibrated radiance images, one for
each band. These image files are compressed and provided to the user
in a single zip file.

Data Set Characteristics

Area

~60 km x 60 km (ASTER Level-1A input image)

Input & Output Image Resolution

15, 30, & 90 m

File Size

~132 MB

Image Dimensions

Varies by scene

Map Projection

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Resampling Method

Cubic Convolution

Data Format

GeoTIFF

Differences between an ASTER Level-1B data set and ASTER Orthorectified Images

ASTER Level-1B data consist of calibrated radiance in a path-oriented UTM projection,

whereas ASTER orthorectified images are presented in a north-up UTM projection. ASTER
orthorectified images possess the geometric characteristics of a map with near-vertical
views for every location, and they also are terrain-corrected.

ASTER L1B image dimensions for each of the three sensor systems (VNIR, SWIR, and
TIR) are different because of their different spatial resolutions; those image dimensions
remain constant from one L1B scene to another. However, ASTER orthorectified image
dimensions can vary from scene to scene. This is because the image dimensions of the
ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) used in the orthorectification process can vary,
and the DEMs image dimensions define the output dimensions for each of the three sensors
orthorectified images.

The ASTER Level-1B data set is provided in a single multi-file packaged Hierarchical Data
Format (HDF) with specific EOS conventions. The ASTER orthorectified image file format
is GeoTIFF. The file includes fifteen orthorectified ASTER Level-1B calibrated radiance
images, one for each band. These image files are compressed and provided to the user in a
single zip file.

Data Set Characteristics

Area

~60 km x 60 km (ASTER Level-1A input

image)

Input Image Resolution

15, 30, & 90 m

Output Image Resolution: DEM

30 m

Output Image Resolution: Orthorectified

Images

15, 30, & 90 m

File Size

~191 MB

Image Dimensions

Varies by scene

Map Projection

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Resampling Method: DEM

Bilinear

Resampling Method: Orthorectified Images Cubic Convolution

Data Format

GeoTIFF