This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
What are the best Landsat spectral bands for use in my research?
Knowing which Landsat spectral bands to use is essential for producing accurate, meaningful results in any remote sensing analysis. Each band captures different characteristics of the Earth’s surface, vegetation health, moisture content and geological features. Choosing the right band combination directly influences the quality of your interpretations.
The tables below describe how the spectral bands on the Landsat Sensors can best be used when creating images. You can also access the interactive USGS Spectral Characteristics Viewer to visualize how bands of different satellite sensors measure the intensity of the wavelengths, or colors, of light. This measurement is called the relative spectral response (RSR). By overlaying the spectral curves from different spectra (features on the Earth’s surface), you can determine which bands of the selected sensor will work for your analysis.
Learn more: Common Landsat Band Combinations
Landsat 10
| Band | Wavelength | Useful for Mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 - Violet | 0.402 - 0.422 | Aerosol retrieval, atmospheric correction, detection of colored dissolved organic matter |
| Band 2 - Coastal Aerosol | 0.433 - 0.453 | Coastal water mapping, aerosol tracking |
| Band 3 - Blue | 0.457 - 0.523 | Bathymetry, soil/vegetation mapping, detection of snow impurities |
| Band 4 - Green | 0.5425 - 0.5775 | Vegetation health and plant vigor assessments |
| Band 5 - Yellow | 0.585 - 0.615 | Detection of leaf chlorosis and vegetation stress, aquatic health and water quality assessments |
| Band 6 - Orange | 0.610 - 0.630 | Aquatic Phycocyanin (cyanobacteria) detection |
| Band 7 - Red 1 | 0.640 - 0.660 | Phycocyanin fluorescence (cyanobacteria) detection, chlorophyll content mapping |
| Band 8 - Red 2 | 0.650 - 0.680 | Chlorophyll content and vegetation mapping, vegetation differentiation |
| Band 9 - Red Edge 1 | 0.6975 - 0.7125 | Leaf area index mapping, chlorophyll content and plant stress mapping |
| Band 10 - Red Edge 2 | 0.7325 - 0.7475 | Leaf area index mapping, chlorophyll content and plant stress mapping |
| Band 11 - Near Infra- red (NIR) Broad | 0.7845 - 0.8995 | NDVI, biomass content and shoreline detection |
| Band 12 - NIR 1 | 0.855 - 0.875 | Biomass content and shoreline detection |
| Band 13 - Water Vapor | 0.935 - 0.955 | Atmospheric correction for land surface temperature, surface reflectance |
| Band 14 - Liquid Water | 0.975 - 0.995 | Liquid water and water surface state detection, vegetation water content mapping |
| Band 15 - Snow/Ice 1 | 1.025 - 1.045 | Snow grain size mapping |
| Band 16 - Snow/Ice 2 | 1.080 - 1.100 | Ice absorption, snow grain size mapping |
| Band 17 - Cirrus | 1.360 - 1.390 | Detection of cirrus (high-altitude) clouds |
| Band 18 - Shortwave Infrared-1 (SWIR-1) | 1.565 - 1.655 | Detection of non-photosynthetic vegetation, fuel moisture mapping |
| Band 19 - Shortwave Infrared-2 (SWIR-2) | 2.0255 - 2.0505 | Cellulose/crop residue mapping |
| Band 20 - SWIR 2b | 2.088 - 2.128 | Cellulose/crop residue and soil moisture content mapping, fire scar detection |
| Band 21 - SWIR 2c | 2.191 - 2.231 | Cellulose/crop residue and soil moisture content mapping, fire scar detection |
| Band 22 - Thermal (TIR) 1 | 8.175 - 8.425 | Mineral and surface composition mapping |
| Band 23 - Thermal (TIR) 2 | 8.425 - 8.775 | Emissivity separation, volcano/sulfur dioxide emissions mapping |
| Band 24 - Thermal (TIR) 3 | 8.928 - 9.275 | Mineral and surface composition mapping |
| Band 25 - Thermal (TIR) 4 | 11.025 - 11.575 | Surface temperature retrieval, carbonate mineral mapping |
| Band 26 - Thermal (TIR) 5 | 11.725 - 12.275 | Surface temperature retrieval, snow grain size and moisture content mapping |
Landsat 8/9 Operational Land Image (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS)
| Band | Wavelength | Useful for Mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 - Coastal Aerosol | 0.43 - 0.45 | Coastal and aerosol studies |
| Band 2 - Blue | 0.45 - 0.51 | Bathymetric mapping, distinguishing soil from vegetation and deciduous from coniferous vegetation |
| Band 3 - Green | 0.53 - 0.59 | Emphasizes peak vegetation, which is useful for assessing plant vigor |
| Band 4 - Red | 0.64 - 0.67 | Discriminates vegetation slopes |
| Band 5 - Near Infrared (NIR) | 0.85 - 0.88 | Emphasizes biomass content and shorelines |
| Band 6 - Short-wave Infrared (SWIR) 1 | 1.57 - 1.65 | Discriminates moisture content of soil and vegetation; penetrates thin clouds |
| Band 7 - Short-wave Infrared (SWIR) 2 | 2.11 - 2.29 | Improved moisture content of soil and vegetation; penetrates thin clouds |
| Band 8 - Panchromatic | 0.50 - 0.68 | 15 meter resolution, sharper image definition |
| Band 9 - Cirrus | 1.36 - 1.38 | Improved detection of cirrus cloud contamination |
| Band 10 - TIRS 1 | 10.60 - 11.19 | 100 meter resolution, thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture |
| Band 11 - TIRS 2 | 11.50 - 12.51 | 100 meter resolution, improved thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture |
Landsat 4-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)
| Band | Wavelength | Useful for Mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 - Blue | 0.45 - 0.52 | Bathymetric mapping, distinguishing soil from vegetation and deciduous from coniferous vegetation |
| Band 2 - Green | 0.52 - 0.60 | Emphasizes peak vegetation which is useful for assessing plant vigor |
| Band 3 - Red | 0.63 - 0.69 | Discriminates vegetation slopes |
| Band 4 - Near Infrared | 0.77 - 0.90 | Emphasizes biomass content and shorelines |
| Band 5 - Short-wave Infrared | 1.55 - 1.75 | Discriminates moisture content of soil and vegetation, penetrates thin clouds |
| Band 6 - Thermal Infrared | 10.40 - 12.50 | Thermal mapping and estimated soil moisture |
| Band 7 - Short-wave Infrared | 2.09 - 2.35 | Hydrothermally altered rocks associated with mineral deposits |
| Band 8 - Panchromatic (Landsat 7 only) | 0.52 - 0.90 | 15 meter resolution, sharper image definition |
Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS)
| Landsat MSS 1,2,3 | Landsat MSS 4, 5 | Wavelength | Useful for Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 4 - Green | Band 1 - Green | 0.5 - 0.6 | Sediment-laden water, delineates areas of shallow water |
| Band 5 - Red | Band 2 - Red | 0.6 - 0.7 | Cultural features |
| Band 6 - Near Infrared | Band 3 - Near Infrared | 0.7 - 0.8 | Vegetation boundary between land and water, and landforms |
| Band 7 - Near Infrared | Band 4 - Near Infrared | 0.8 - 1.1 | Penetrates atmospheric haze best, emphasizes vegetation, boundary between land and water, and landforms |
Related
What are the band designations for the Landsat satellites? What are the band designations for the Landsat satellites?
The sensors carried on the Landsat satellites acquired data in different wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum. Technological advancements have drastically improved the data collected since 1972: The Multispectral Scanner (MSS) carried on Landsat 1,2,3,4 and 5 collected data in four ranges (bands). The Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor on Landsat 4 and Landsat 5 included bands in the same...
What are some known issues that users might find in Landsat data? What are some known issues that users might find in Landsat data?
A number of artifacts and anomalies can happen to any remote sensing data. Banding, dropped scan lines, and detector failures are only a few of the anomalies that can be seen in Landsat data. Go to Landsat Known Issues for details about anomalies that have been discovered and investigated.
How do I open Landsat satellite data files? How do I open Landsat satellite data files?
Many image processing programs can handle GeoTIFF and Cloud optimized GeoTIFF (COG) Landsat files, including free software like Multispec and QGIS. To view Landsat scenes without using specialized software, download Landsat Full Resolution browse images (.jpg) from EarthExplorer or GloVis. * The USGS does NOT endorse or support specific software packages. Any usability questions relating to...
Can Landsat satellite acquisition requests be made for a specific date and location? Can Landsat satellite acquisition requests be made for a specific date and location?
The Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellites together acquire approximately 1,500 scenes daily. These scenes are available for download within 6 hours of acquisition. Landsat satellite acquisitions are managed as a system, known as a satellite constellation. Long-Term Acquisition Plans (LTAPs) direct and optimize the daily acquisitions of each active Landsat satellite. Special requests for future...
What are the acquisition schedules for the Landsat satellites? What are the acquisition schedules for the Landsat satellites?
Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 orbit Earth at an altitude of 705 kilometers, or 438 miles. Each satellite captures images across a 185-kilometer, or 115-mile, swath. The satellites move from north to south over the sunlight side of Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit. Each satellite circles Earth every 99 minutes and completes about 14 orbits a day – and passes over the same location once every 16 days...
How do I search for and download Landsat data? How do I search for and download Landsat data?
Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of sources. Visit Landsat Data Access for information about how Landsat data products can be downloaded individually or in bulk. Landsat imagery not found in the USGS archive might have been collected by one of the USGS International Cooperator ground stations, each of which are the primary...
What is the Landsat satellite program and why is it important? What is the Landsat satellite program and why is it important?
The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. On July 23, 1972, in cooperation with NASA, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1) was launched. It was later renamed Landsat 1. Additional Landsat satellites have launched to bring the world an archive of remote sensing data. Currently orbiting and active...
What are Landsat Collections? What are Landsat Collections?
In 2016, the USGS reorganized the Landsat archive into a tiered collection. This structure ensures that Landsat Level-1 products provide a consistent archive of known data quality to support time-series analyses and data “stacking”, while controlling continuous improvement of the archive and access to all data as they are acquired. Learn more: Landsat Collections Landsat Data Access
What are Landsat Collection Tiers? What are Landsat Collection Tiers?
Landsat Collection Tiers are the inventory structure for Level-1 data products and are based on data quality and level of processing. The tier definition purpose is to support easier identification of suitable scenes for time-series pixel-level analysis, and provide temporary data that are processed immediately upon downlink to be dispensed quickly in emergency response situations with limited...
Spectral Bandpasses for all Landsat Sensors
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
Common Landsat Band Combinations
This graphic displays a few of the common band Red-Green-Blue (RGB) combinations of Landsat data. For more information about using Landsat bands in your research, visit the following pages:
This graphic displays a few of the common band Red-Green-Blue (RGB) combinations of Landsat data. For more information about using Landsat bands in your research, visit the following pages:
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom LovelandTom Loveland talks about using Landsat's data for land use and land cover change research.
Find this video and thousands more at https://usgs.gov/gallery.
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom LovelandTom Loveland talks about using Landsat's data for land use and land cover change research.
Find this video and thousands more at https://usgs.gov/gallery.
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis Woodcock
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis WoodcockBoston University Professor Curtis Woodcock talks about the significance Landsat was had in science and what he hopes to see as the mission continues.
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis Woodcock
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis WoodcockBoston University Professor Curtis Woodcock talks about the significance Landsat was had in science and what he hopes to see as the mission continues.
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John Schott
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John SchottJohn Schott with the Rochester Institute of Technology discusses using Landsat Data over the years, and how its Thermal data tracks temperature changes in water bodies.
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John Schott
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John SchottJohn Schott with the Rochester Institute of Technology discusses using Landsat Data over the years, and how its Thermal data tracks temperature changes in water bodies.
Landsat Collections
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environmental Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environmental Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan Belward
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan BelwardAlan Belward from the European Union's Joint Research Center discusses how Landsat helps his team promote sustainable development.
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan Belward
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan BelwardAlan Belward from the European Union's Joint Research Center discusses how Landsat helps his team promote sustainable development.
Landsat Collections — What are Tiers?
This is the third video in a series describing the new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat Collection 1 inventory structure. Collection 1 required the reprocessing of all archived Landsat data to achieve radiometric and geometric consistency of Level-1 products through time and across all Landsat sensors.
This is the third video in a series describing the new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat Collection 1 inventory structure. Collection 1 required the reprocessing of all archived Landsat data to achieve radiometric and geometric consistency of Level-1 products through time and across all Landsat sensors.
Landsat Collections - RMSE
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environment Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environment Record for Time Series Analysis
Related
What are the band designations for the Landsat satellites? What are the band designations for the Landsat satellites?
The sensors carried on the Landsat satellites acquired data in different wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum. Technological advancements have drastically improved the data collected since 1972: The Multispectral Scanner (MSS) carried on Landsat 1,2,3,4 and 5 collected data in four ranges (bands). The Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor on Landsat 4 and Landsat 5 included bands in the same...
What are some known issues that users might find in Landsat data? What are some known issues that users might find in Landsat data?
A number of artifacts and anomalies can happen to any remote sensing data. Banding, dropped scan lines, and detector failures are only a few of the anomalies that can be seen in Landsat data. Go to Landsat Known Issues for details about anomalies that have been discovered and investigated.
How do I open Landsat satellite data files? How do I open Landsat satellite data files?
Many image processing programs can handle GeoTIFF and Cloud optimized GeoTIFF (COG) Landsat files, including free software like Multispec and QGIS. To view Landsat scenes without using specialized software, download Landsat Full Resolution browse images (.jpg) from EarthExplorer or GloVis. * The USGS does NOT endorse or support specific software packages. Any usability questions relating to...
Can Landsat satellite acquisition requests be made for a specific date and location? Can Landsat satellite acquisition requests be made for a specific date and location?
The Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellites together acquire approximately 1,500 scenes daily. These scenes are available for download within 6 hours of acquisition. Landsat satellite acquisitions are managed as a system, known as a satellite constellation. Long-Term Acquisition Plans (LTAPs) direct and optimize the daily acquisitions of each active Landsat satellite. Special requests for future...
What are the acquisition schedules for the Landsat satellites? What are the acquisition schedules for the Landsat satellites?
Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 orbit Earth at an altitude of 705 kilometers, or 438 miles. Each satellite captures images across a 185-kilometer, or 115-mile, swath. The satellites move from north to south over the sunlight side of Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit. Each satellite circles Earth every 99 minutes and completes about 14 orbits a day – and passes over the same location once every 16 days...
How do I search for and download Landsat data? How do I search for and download Landsat data?
Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of sources. Visit Landsat Data Access for information about how Landsat data products can be downloaded individually or in bulk. Landsat imagery not found in the USGS archive might have been collected by one of the USGS International Cooperator ground stations, each of which are the primary...
What is the Landsat satellite program and why is it important? What is the Landsat satellite program and why is it important?
The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. On July 23, 1972, in cooperation with NASA, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1) was launched. It was later renamed Landsat 1. Additional Landsat satellites have launched to bring the world an archive of remote sensing data. Currently orbiting and active...
What are Landsat Collections? What are Landsat Collections?
In 2016, the USGS reorganized the Landsat archive into a tiered collection. This structure ensures that Landsat Level-1 products provide a consistent archive of known data quality to support time-series analyses and data “stacking”, while controlling continuous improvement of the archive and access to all data as they are acquired. Learn more: Landsat Collections Landsat Data Access
What are Landsat Collection Tiers? What are Landsat Collection Tiers?
Landsat Collection Tiers are the inventory structure for Level-1 data products and are based on data quality and level of processing. The tier definition purpose is to support easier identification of suitable scenes for time-series pixel-level analysis, and provide temporary data that are processed immediately upon downlink to be dispensed quickly in emergency response situations with limited...
Spectral Bandpasses for all Landsat Sensors
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
Common Landsat Band Combinations
This graphic displays a few of the common band Red-Green-Blue (RGB) combinations of Landsat data. For more information about using Landsat bands in your research, visit the following pages:
This graphic displays a few of the common band Red-Green-Blue (RGB) combinations of Landsat data. For more information about using Landsat bands in your research, visit the following pages:
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom LovelandTom Loveland talks about using Landsat's data for land use and land cover change research.
Find this video and thousands more at https://usgs.gov/gallery.
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom LovelandTom Loveland talks about using Landsat's data for land use and land cover change research.
Find this video and thousands more at https://usgs.gov/gallery.
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis Woodcock
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis WoodcockBoston University Professor Curtis Woodcock talks about the significance Landsat was had in science and what he hopes to see as the mission continues.
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis Woodcock
Landsat in Action - The Importance of Landsat with Curtis WoodcockBoston University Professor Curtis Woodcock talks about the significance Landsat was had in science and what he hopes to see as the mission continues.
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John Schott
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John SchottJohn Schott with the Rochester Institute of Technology discusses using Landsat Data over the years, and how its Thermal data tracks temperature changes in water bodies.
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John Schott
Landsat in Action - Tracking Water Changes with John SchottJohn Schott with the Rochester Institute of Technology discusses using Landsat Data over the years, and how its Thermal data tracks temperature changes in water bodies.
Landsat Collections
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environmental Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environmental Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan Belward
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan BelwardAlan Belward from the European Union's Joint Research Center discusses how Landsat helps his team promote sustainable development.
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan Belward
Landsat In Action - Assessing Global Impact with Alan BelwardAlan Belward from the European Union's Joint Research Center discusses how Landsat helps his team promote sustainable development.
Landsat Collections — What are Tiers?
This is the third video in a series describing the new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat Collection 1 inventory structure. Collection 1 required the reprocessing of all archived Landsat data to achieve radiometric and geometric consistency of Level-1 products through time and across all Landsat sensors.
This is the third video in a series describing the new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat Collection 1 inventory structure. Collection 1 required the reprocessing of all archived Landsat data to achieve radiometric and geometric consistency of Level-1 products through time and across all Landsat sensors.
Landsat Collections - RMSE
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environment Record for Time Series Analysis
Landsat Collections: Providing a Stable Environment Record for Time Series Analysis
Updated Date: August 10, 2026