U.S. Geological Survey
LEVEL-1 PRODUCT README: GeoTIFF

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
FORMAT
ORGANIZATION
* DATA FILE NAMES
* GAP MASKS
* README
* READING DATA
GENERAL INFORMATION and DOCUMENTATION
PRODUCT SUPPORT
DISCLAIMER


INTRODUCTION

This product was created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
and contains Landsat data files in Geographic Tagged 
Image-File Format (GeoTIFF).

The Landsat 1, 2, and 3 satellites carried the Multispectral 
Scanner (MSS) sensor; the Landsat 4 and 5 satellites carried 
both the MSS and the Thematic Mapper (TM) sensors; and the 
Landsat 7 satellite carries the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus 
(ETM+) sensor. These sensors support the Landsat Project's 
mission to provide quality remote sensing data in support of 
research and applications activities. 

For information on Landsats 1-5 MSS products, see 
https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/MSS.

For information on Landsat 4-5 TM products, see
https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/TM.

For information on Landsat 7 ETM+ products, see
https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/LETMP.

For information on Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and 
Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) products, see 
https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/L8.

For information on Landsat Level 1 Product Collections, see
http://landsat.usgs.gov/landsatcollections.php.

For information on the Landsat Project, project documentation, and 
data acquisitions, see
http://landsat.usgs.gov



FORMAT

Landsat MSS, TM, and ETM+ data are provided in GeoTIFF for Level 1TP
(precision terrain corrected) products, or for either Level 1GT (systematic 
terrain corrected) or Level 1GS (systematic corrected) products, 
if Level 1TP processing is not available. GeoTIFF defines a set of 
publicly available TIFF tags that describe cartographic and geodetic 
information associated with TIFF images. GeoTIFF is a format that 
enables referencing a raster image to a known geodetic model or map 
projection. 

The initial tags are followed by image data that, in turn, may be 
interrupted by more descriptive tags. By using the GeoTIFF format, 
both metadata and image data can be encoded into the same file.

The Landsat 7 ETM+ GeoTIFF file format is described in detail in the
"Landsat 7 ETM+ Level 1 Product Data Format Control Book (DFCB), 
LSDS-272":
http://landsat.usgs.gov/documents/LSDS-272.pdf

The Landsat 4-5 TM GeoTIFF file format is described in detail in the 
"Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) Level 1 (L1) Data Format Control Book (DFCB), 
LS-DFCB-20":
http://landsat.usgs.gov/documents/LS-DFCB-20.pdf

The Landsat MSS file format is described in detail in the 
"Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) Level 1 (L1) Data Format Control 
Book (DFCB), LSDS-286":
http://landsat.usgs.gov/documents/LSDS-286.pdf

For more information on GeoTIFF visit:
http://trac.osgeo.org/geotiff


ORGANIZATION

Each band of Landsat data in the GeoTIFF format is delivered as
a grayscale, uncompressed, 8-bit string of unsigned integers.
Landsat products also include a quality band which is 16 bits for 
ETM+ and TM and 8 bits for MSS.  A metadata (MTL) file is included 
with data processed through the Level-1 Product Generation System (LPGS). 
A file containing the ground control points (GCPs) used during image 
processing is also included.  

* DATA FILE NAMES

The file naming convention for Landsat LPGS-processed GeoTIFF data
is as follows:

LXSS_LLLL_PPPRRR_YYYYMMDD_yyyymmdd_CC_TX_BN.TIF where:
     L           = Landsat  
     X           = Sensor (E for ETM+ data; T for TM data; M for MSS)
     SS          = Satellite (07 = Landsat 7, 05 = Landsat 5, etc.)
     LLLL        = processing level (L1TP for Precision Terrain; 
                                     L1GT for Systematic Terrain; 
                                     L1GS for Systematic only)
     PPP         = starting path of the product
     RRR         = starting and ending rows of the product
     YYYY        = acquisition year
     MM          = acquisition month
     DD          = acquisition day
     yyyy        = processing year
     mm          = processing month
     dd          = processing day
     CC          = collection number
     TX          = collection category (RT for real-time; T1 for Tier 1; 
                                        T2 for Tier 2)
     BN          = file type:
          B1         = band 1
          B2         = band 2
          B3         = band 3
          B4         = band 4
          B5         = band 5
          B6_VCID_1  = band 6L (low gain)  (ETM+)
          B6_VCID_2  = band 6H (high gain) (ETM+)
          B6         = band 6 (TM and MSS)
          B7         = band 7 
          B8         = band 8 (ETM+)
          MTL        = Level-1 metadata
          GCP        = ground control points
     TIF         = GeoTIFF file extension

The file naming convention for Landsat 4-5 NLAPS-processed GeoTIFF data
is as follows:

LLNppprrrOOYYDDDMM_AA.TIF  where:
     LL          = Landsat sensor (LT for TM data)
     N           = satellite number
     ppp         = starting path of the product
     rrr         = starting row of the product
     OO          = WRS row offset (set to 00)
     YY          = last two digits of the year of 
                   acquisition
     DDD         = Julian date of acquisition
     MM          = instrument mode (10 for MSS; 50 for TM)
     AA          = file type:
          B1          = band 1
          B2          = band 2
          B3          = band 3
          B4          = band 4
          B5          = band 5
          B6          = band 6
          B7          = band 7
          WO          = processing history file 
     TIF         = GeoTIFF file extension


* GAP MASKS

All Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-off imagery processed on or after December 11,
2008, includes gap mask files. (Please note the difference between
acquisition date and processing date, files dates are not necessarily the same.) 
The gap mask files are bit mask files showing the locations of the image 
gaps (areas that fall between ETM+ scans). One tarred and gzip-compressed 
gap mask file is provided for each band in GeoTIFF format. The file naming 
convention for gap mask files is identical to that described above for 
LPGS-processed GeoTIFF data, with "_GM" inserted before file type.

If gap mask files are not included with the data, a tutorial for 
creating them can be found at:
http://landsat.usgs.gov/gap_mask_files_are_not_provided_can_I_create_my_own.php


* README

The README.GTF is an ASCII text file and is this file.


* READING DATA    

Delivered via file transfer protocol (FTP): data files are tarred and
g-zip compressed and will need to be unzipped and untarred before the 
data files can be used. UNIX systems should have the "gunzip" and "tar"
commands available for uncompressing and accessing the data. For PC 
users, free software can be downloaded from an online source. Otherwise, 
check your PC, as you may already have appropriate software available.

No software is included on this product for viewing Landsat data. 


GENERAL INFORMATION and DOCUMENTATION

Landsat Project Information:
http://landsat.usgs.gov

Landsat data access:
  * USGS Global Visualization Viewer (GloVis):  http://glovis.usgs.gov
  * USGS EarthExplorer:  http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov
  * USGS LandsatLook Viewer:  http://landsatlook.usgs.gov
  * Landsat International Ground Station (IGS) network:  
                     http://landsat.usgs.gov/about_ground_stations.php

FGDC metadata:
http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata   

Data restrictions and citation:
https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/citation

* National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) 
Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) elevation data citation:

Liu, H., K. Jezek, B. Li, and Z. Zhao. 2001. 
Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Project digital elevation model version 2. 
Boulder, CO: National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital media. 

For information on the data, please refer to the data set documentation 
available at the following web site: 
http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0082.html


PRODUCT SUPPORT
 
For further information on this product, contact USGS 
EROS Customer Services:

Customer Services (ATTN: Landsat)
U.S. Geological Survey
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001

Tel: 800-252-4547
Tel: 605-594-6151 
Email: custserv@usgs.gov 

For information on other products from USGS EROS:
http://eros.usgs.gov/  or https://lta.cr.usgs.gov/


For information on other USGS products:
http://ask.usgs.gov/  
or call 1-888-ASK-USGS (275-8747)


DISCLAIMER

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive 
purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. 
Government.


Publication Date:  May 2016


