Return to Landsat Surface Reflectance-Derived Spectral Indices Overview
A Pixel Quality Assurance (pixel_qa) band is provided with all Landsat Surface Reflectance-derived Spectral Indices.
Each pixel_qa band is provided for Landsat 4-5, Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 data. The band is in unsigned 16-bit format, whose values are bit-packed and provide information pertaining to a pixel condition of fill, clear, water, cloud shadow, snow, cloud (yes/no), cloud confidence and cirrus cloud confidence (Landsat 8 only.)
The tables below display the bits, values, and interpretations for the Pixel Quality Assurance band for Landsat Surface Reflectance-Derived Spectral Indices.
Landsat Surface Reflectance-Derived Spectral Indices Pixel Quality Band: Landsat 4-5, Landsat 7
| Bit |
Value |
Cumulative Sum |
Interpretation |
| 0 |
1 |
1 |
Fill |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Clear |
| 2 |
4 |
7 |
Water |
| 3 |
8 |
15 |
Cloud Shadow |
| 4 |
16 |
31 |
Snow |
| 5 |
32 |
63 |
Cloud |
| 6 |
64 |
127 |
Cloud Confidence
00= None
01= Low
10 = Medium
11 = High |
| 7 |
128 |
255 |
| 8 |
256 |
511 |
Unused |
| 9 |
512 |
1023 |
Unused |
| 10 |
1024 |
2047 |
Unused |
| 11 |
2048 |
4095 |
Unused |
| 12 |
4096 |
8191 |
Unused |
| 13 |
8192 |
16383 |
Unused |
| 14 |
16384 |
32767 |
Unused |
| 15 |
32786 |
65553 |
Unused |
Landsat Surface Reflectance-Derived Spectral Indices Pixel Quality Band: Landsat 8
| Bit |
Value |
Cumulative Sum |
Interpretation |
| 0 |
1 |
1 |
Fill |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Clear |
| 2 |
4 |
7 |
Water |
| 3 |
8 |
15 |
Cloud Shadow |
| 4 |
16 |
31 |
Snow |
| 5 |
32 |
63 |
Cloud |
| 6 |
64 |
127 |
Cloud Confidence
00= None
01= Low
10 = Medium
11 = High |
| 7 |
128 |
255 |
| 8 |
256 |
511 |
Cirrus Confidence
00= Not set
01= Low from OLI Band 9 Reflectance
10 = Medium from OLI Band 9 Reflectance
11 = High from OLI Band 9 Reflectance |
| 9 |
512 |
1023 |
| 10 |
1024 |
2047 |
Unused |
| 11 |
2048 |
4095 |
Unused |
| 12 |
4096 |
8191 |
Unused |
| 13 |
8192 |
16383 |
Unused |
| 14 |
16384 |
32767 |
Unused |
| 15 |
32786 |
65553 |
Unused |
