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Data

Seasonal Surface Reflectance - Landsat, JRSRP Algorithm, Australia Coverage 

Ver: 1.0
Status of Data: onGoing
Update Frequency: quarterly
Security Classification: unclassified
Dataset Published: 2021-04-09
Dataset Last Modified: 2026-08-18
Metadata viewed 2622 times
Dataset accessed 255 times
Metadata Created: 2014-06-20
Metadata Last Modified: 2026-08-19
How to cite this collection:
Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland Government (2021). Seasonal Surface Reflectance - Landsat, JRSRP Algorithm, Australia Coverage. Version 1.0. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Dataset. https://portal.tern.org.au/metadata/5a31eed4-e43a-404d-b534-3f820305ed61 
Data can be accessed from the following links:
HTTPCloud Optimised GeoTIFFs - Seasonal Surface Reflectance
WMSlandsat_seasonal_surface_reflectance
HTTPLandscape Data Visualiser - Seasonal surface reflectance - Landsat
HTTPseasonal_surface_reflectance_landsat_filenaming_con_uSVOxS8.txt
HTTPPoint-of-truth metadata URL
HTTPro-crate-metadata.json
The dataset consists of composited seasonal surface reflectance images (4 seasons per year) created from the full time series of Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI imagery. The imagery has been composited over a season to produce imagery which is representative of that period, using techniques which will reduce contamination by cloud and other problems. This creates a regular time series of reflectance values which captures the variability at seasonal time scales. The benefits are a regular time series with minimal missing data or contamination from various sources of noise as well as data reduction. Each season has exactly one value (per band) for each pixel (or is null, i.e., missing), and the value for that season is assumed to be the representative of the whole season. The algorithm is based on the medoid (in reflectance space) over the time period (the medoid is a multi-dimensional analogue of the median), which is robust against extreme values.
 
Credit
We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This dataset was produced by the Joint Remote Sensing Research Program using data sourced from US Geological Survey. 
Purpose
This product captures surface reflectance at seasonal (ie three-monthly) time scales, forming a consistent time series from 1987 - present. For applications that focus on vegetation changes, the fractional cover and ground cover products may be more suitable.
 
Lineage
Data not provided. 
Method DocumentationData not provided.
Procedure StepsData not provided.
Spatial Description
Australia 
Temporal Coverage
From 1987-12-01 to on going 
Spatial Resolution

Data not provided.

Vertical Extent

Data not provided.

Data Quality Assessment Scope
The input imagery was processed to level L1T by the USGS. Geodetic accuracy of the product depends on the image quality and the accuracy, number, and distribution of the ground control points. 
Data Quality Report
Data not provided. 
Data Quality Assessment Outcome
The USGS aims to provide image-to-image registration with an accuracy of 12m. Refer to the L8 Data Users Handbook for more detail. 
ANZSRC - FOR
Climate change impacts and adaptation
Environmental management
Data Stream
Satellite Remote Sensing
GCMD Sciences
VEGETATION - VEGETATION COVER
Horizontal Resolution
30 meters - < 100 meters
Instruments
ETM+
OLI
TM
Parameters
at-surface reflectance
Platforms
LANDSAT-5
LANDSAT-7
LANDSAT-8
Project
TERN Landscapes
Temporal Resolution
Weekly - < Monthly
Topic
environment
imageryBaseMapsEarthCover
Author
Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland Government
Contact Point
Data Enquiries, Earth Observation and Social Sciences (EOSS)
Publisher
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Zhu, Z. and Woodcock, C.E. (2012). Object-based cloud and cloud shadow detection in Landsat imagery Remote Sensing of Environment 118 (2012) 83-94.
Flood, N., Danaher, T., Gill, T. and Gillingham, S. (2013) An Operational Scheme for Deriving Standardised Surface Reflectance from Landsat TM/ETM+ and SPOT HRG Imagery for Eastern Australia. Remote Sens. 2013, 5(1), 83-109
Flood, N. (2013) Seasonal Composite Landsat TM/ETM+ Images Using the Medoid (a Multi-dimensional Median). Remote Sens. 2013, 5(12), 6481-6500
Supplemental Information
The standard form of the file naming convention is: _ _ _ _ For this dataset are (comma-separated): Data Naming Element, Possible Code(s), Descriptor Standard Elements satellite category, lz, Landsat - all possible, l8, Landsat 8, instrument, tm, thematic, ol, operational land imager product, re, reflective where, qld,nsw,vic,tas,sa,nt,wa, state when , myyyymmyyyymm , season start date (1st day of month) and season end date (last day of month)  processing stage, dbi, seasonal surface reflectance, data projection, a2, Australian Albers Equal Area 
Resource Specific Usage
Data not provided. 
Environment Description
Data not provided. 
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland, 4068, Australia.
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license allows others to copy, distribute, display, and create derivative works provided that they credit the original source and any other nominated parties. Details are provided at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
It is not recommended that these data sets be used at scales more detailed than 1:100,000. 
While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, the Joint Remote Sensing Research Project (JRSRP) makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which might be incurred as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. 
Copyright 2010-2021. JRSRP. Rights owned by the Joint Remote Sensing Research Project (JRSRP). 
TERN services are provided on an “as-is” and “as available” basis. Users use any TERN services at their discretion and risk. They will be solely responsible for any damage or loss whatsoever that results from such use including use of any data obtained through TERN and any analysis performed using the TERN infrastructure. Web links to and from external, third party websites should not be construed as implying any relationships with and/or endorsement of the external site or its content by TERN.