USGS EROS Archive - Landsat Collection 2 Level-3 fSCA Statistics Science Product

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Dataset Citation

Please cite this dataset in the following manner: 

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. (2022). Landsat Level-3 fractional Snow Covered Area Statistics, Collection 2 [dataset]. U.S. Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.5066/F7VQ31ZQ

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) offers Landsat Collection 2 (C2) Level-3 Fractional Snow Covered Area (fSCA) Statistics science products. 

fSCA  Statistics mean snow cover fraction and clear pixel count statistics for unique time steps between 1984 and the current year. These time steps include 5-year date ranges and the entire ARD stack period. Each fSCA statistic package contains monthly (entire ARD stack only), annual, and mean annual viewable or ground snow cover statistics files for each unique time step, over a single tile location (e.g., 2001-2005 statistics for tile h002v005).

Collection 2 Fractional Snow Covered Area (fSCA) Statistics Package Contents

The entire stack time period will have 24 monthly, 2 annual, and 1 mean annual file, all described in a single XML metadata file for the that time period. Each unique 5-year time period will have two annual files, listed in a single XML metadata file for that time period. The statistics files are described below.

• Monthly fractions – “MFRACTIONS” : The mean snow cover of all acquisitions within month “x” for each year in the n-year time step.
  Delivered file name: tileID_MFRACTIONS
• Monthly cloud free count – “MCLDFREE”: The number of clear pixels used for the monthly snow cover fractions.
  Delivered file name: tileID_MCLDFREE
• Annual fractions – “AFRACTIONS”: The mean snow cover fractions of all acquisitions in the n-year span.
  Delivered file name: tileID_AFRACTIONS
• Annual cloud free count – “ACLDFREE”: The number of clear pixels used for the annual snow cover fractions.
  Delivered file name: tileID_ACLDFREE
• Mean annual fractions – “MEAN_AFRACTIONS”: The mean of all monthly snow cover fractions over the n-year span.
  Delivered file name: tileID_MEAN_AFRACTIONS

Additional Information

• Landsat Missions Collection 2 Fractional Snow Covered Area Statistics Webpage
• Landsat Collection 2 Fractional Snow Covered Area (fSCA) Data Format Control Book
• Landsat Fractional Snow Covered Area Algorithm Description Document 

Data Access

Landsat Fractional Snow Covered Area Statistics products are available for download in full tile bundles or individual files from EarthExplorer. The data are located under the Landsat category, Landsat Collection 2 Level-3 Science Products subcategory, and listed as Landsat 4-8 C2 fSCA Statistics.

Visit the Landsat Data Access webpage for information about downloading C2 fSCA Statistics  products.

The Landsat Data Access summary table provides information about all Landsat Collection 2 data access options.

Data Citation History

The preferred citation for this dataset was revised in 2024 to improve accuracy and alignment with USGS Fundamental Science Practices. The dataset digital object identifier (DOI) and version did not change. 

Please cite this dataset in the following manner: 

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. (2022). Landsat Level-3 fractional Snow Covered Area Statistics, Collection 2 [dataset]. U.S. Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.5066/F7VQ31ZQ

The previously used citation shown below is provided here for historical reference only:
U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation And Science Center. (2018). Collection-2 Landsat Level-3 fractional Snow Covered Area (fSCA) Statistics Science Product [dataset]. U.S. Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.5066/F7VQ31ZQ