Short Announcement: Landsat 8 Data Users Handbook

Landsat 8 is the successful successor of Landsat 5/ Landsat 7. It was launched on February 11, 2013. Since then we saw a major increase in possibilities of getting access to the data and integrations in software packages. Now the USGS published an in-depth document to support the basic understanding for the Landsat 8 observatory and its science data products.

Landsat 8 Data Users Handbook

The living document “Landsat 8 Data Users Handbook” is a 105-page document which covers several aspects of the sensor and the program.

After a short introduction you will get to know:

• Landsat Observatory Overview
• Instrument Calibration facts
• Level 1 Products (generation and description)
• Conversion of DNs to Physical Units
• Data Search and Access
• Known Issues

The handbook describes the current status of the data which is available via a variety of providers incl. an Amazon Web Service or plugin in QGIS in easy sentences. Formulas are explained and it enables you to work with Landsat 8 data in a very convenient way. The document can be downloaded here.