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EROS CalVal Center of Excellence (ECCOE)

The EROS Cal/Val Center of Excellence (ECCOE) is a global leader in improving the accuracy, precision, and quality of remote sensing data. ECCOE experts provide support to Landsat Calibration/Validation, Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, Lidar-3DEP, and Satellite Derived Bathymetry activities. 

Landsat Calibration and Validation 

landsat 7 artist rendering over earth

 

The USGS ECCOE Landsat Cal/Val Team, along with their NASA counterparts, maintains primary responsibility for radiometric and geometric characterization and the calibration and validation of the Landsat instruments and spacecrafts. 

The Team continually monitors the geometric and radiometric performance of active Landsat missions and makes calibration adjustments as needed to maintain data quality at the highest level. Results of the analysis are summarized in quarterly USGS Open File Reports.

This work includes both the ongoing operations of active Landsat missions, as well as the retired Landsat missions. 

Visit the Landsat Calibration and Validation webpage to learn more. 

 

 

Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE)

JACIE image

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) was formed to leverage resources from several Federal agencies for the characterization of remote sensing data and to share those results across the remote sensing community.  Consisting of representatives from six Federal agencies, JACIE provides independent characterizations of image and image-derived end products. 

JACIE is the strong collaboration and enhanced working relationships between government and non-governmental organizations to understand remote sensing information and make it more useful to the user community. JACIE Workshops are held each year. 

Visit the JACIE webpages to learn more. 

 

Earth Observing Satellites Online Compendium

Screenshot of the Earth Observing Satellites Online Compendium

 

The JACIE Earth Observing Satellites Online Compendium contains details about past, present and future Earth observing satellites and the sensors they carry.  

Derived from print versions of Compendiums published in 20192020, and 2022, this resource has been developed and is managed by the Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observation (RCA-EO) team at the USGS EROS Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

Access the Earth Observing Satellites Online Compendium 

 

 

 

Lidar

Lidar Scan of South Dakota Capitol Building

 

Lidar data and their derivative metrics are fundamental inputs to many areas of scientific research,  including flood, erosion, and coastal modeling and mapping, fault detection, land-surface mapping, landslide and volcano hazards, and mapping forest canopy. 

Access Lidar information 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncrewed Aerial Systems

Uncrewed Aerial System Composite Image

 

Three-dimensional (3D) data capture technologies continue to become more commonplace, as Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) have become available. 

UAS's allow for new opportunities for gathering data essential to land management and Earth science.  The potential of these systems requires that they be able to reliably gather accurate data.  

Learn more about Uncrewed Aerial Systems

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test Sites Catalog

Test Sites Catalog July 2021

 

The USGS ECCOE Test Sites Catalog began in 2007 to provide information about effective radiometric, geometric, and spatial qualities useful in the calibration of Earth observation sensors. The catalog now contains prime candidate test sites worldwide for the calibration and post-launch characterization of space-based optical imaging sensors. The number of Earth-observing sensors and their derived science products continue to grow rapidly. 

Accurate, well-documented calibration is needed to understand and address local and global science and societal impacts and benefits. 

Access the Test Sites Catalog

 

News

Latest in Landsat December 2024 - Vol. 3 | Issue 12

USGS Seeks Input on AI/ML Methods for Improving Landsat Flight Operations

USGS Seeks Input on AI/ML Methods for Improving Landsat Flight Operations

Update: Scheduled System Maintenance Delayed

Update: Scheduled System Maintenance Delayed

Publications

Landsat geometric and radiometric calibration and characterization

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) Center of Excellence (ECCOE) focuses on improving the accuracy, precision, calibration, and product quality of remote-sensing data, leveraging years of multiscale optical system geometric and radiometric calibration and characterization experience. The ECCOE Landsat Cal/Val team continual
Authors
Jerad Shaw, Cody Anderson, Mike Choate, Esad Micijevic

Earth observation remote sensing tools—Assessing systems, trends, and characteristics

With the ever-increasing number of civil and commercial remote-sensing satellite launches in recent years, the Earth Observation community needs to better understand the quality of new data products as they become available for scientific research purposes.
Authors
Simon J. Cantrell, Jeff Clauson, Cody Anderson

Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE)

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) was formed to leverage resources from several Federal agencies for the characterization of remote sensing data and to share those results across the remote sensing community (U.S. Geological Survey, 2024).Remote sensing data and the quality of that data are vital to (1) understanding the physical world and (2) supporting the science and engine
Authors
Jeff Clauson, Cody Anderson, Jim Vrabel

Science

Eyes on Earth Episode 94 – EROS 50th: Collaborations with SDSU

South Dakota State University, a land grant university less than an hour from EROS, has had links to Landsat and EROS throughout their existence.
link

Eyes on Earth Episode 94 – EROS 50th: Collaborations with SDSU

South Dakota State University, a land grant university less than an hour from EROS, has had links to Landsat and EROS throughout their existence.
Learn More

Eyes on Earth Episode 74 – A Satellite Cross Calibration Mission

Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science, brought to you by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. In this episode, we hear how a new mission will make it easier to use satellite datasets interchangeably.
link

Eyes on Earth Episode 74 – A Satellite Cross Calibration Mission

Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science, brought to you by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. In this episode, we hear how a new mission will make it easier to use satellite datasets interchangeably.
Learn More

Multimedia

Map of Earth Observing Satellites
Countries with Earth Observing Satellites
Countries with Earth Observing Satellites
Number of Commercial, Government-Civil Satellites Launched
Number of Commercial, Government-Civil Satellites Launched
Number of Commercial, Government-Civil Satellites Launched
JACIE 2025 Workshop deadlines
JACIE 2025 Workshop deadlines
JACIE 2025 Workshop deadlines
JACIE 2025 Workshop Save the Date
JACIE 2025 Workshop Save the Date
JACIE 2025 Workshop Save the Date
Railroad Valley Playa
Railroad Valley Playa
Railroad Valley Playa
Image of Eliza Malakoff, who has blue eyes, brown hair and is wearing a ball cap. The background is green mountains and blue sky.
profile_picture_2.jpg.png
profile_picture_2.jpg.png
Landsat 9 Image of White Sands National Park
Landsat 9 Image of White Sands National Park
Landsat 9 Image of White Sands National Park
Ivanpah Playa Test Site
Ivanpah Playa Test Site
Ivanpah Playa Test Site
Baotou Sand Test Site - Urad Qianqi, Inner Mongolia in northern China
Baotou Sand Test Site
Baotou Sand Test Site
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