A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization

The Landsat archive can be used to track long-term landscape and environmental changes. However, substantial differences in atmospheric correction algorithms, radiometric resolution, and spectral response functions suggest that harmonization models should be implemented when using data from OLI/OLI-...

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Main Authors: Galen Richardson, Anders Knudby, Koreen Millard, Wenjun Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Geocarto International
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10106049.2025.2538108
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author Galen Richardson
Anders Knudby
Koreen Millard
Wenjun Chen
author_facet Galen Richardson
Anders Knudby
Koreen Millard
Wenjun Chen
author_sort Galen Richardson
collection DOAJ
description The Landsat archive can be used to track long-term landscape and environmental changes. However, substantial differences in atmospheric correction algorithms, radiometric resolution, and spectral response functions suggest that harmonization models should be implemented when using data from OLI/OLI-2 sensors with TM/ETM+ data. Harmonized data allows models to be applied across most of the Landsat archive, as biases caused by differences in sensor spectral response function and atmospheric correction algorithms have been minimized. We propose the Landsat ETM+ OLI Harmonization Script (LEOHS), a Python package using Google Earth Engine to facilitate region-specific harmonization between ETM+ and OLI data. Regional harmonization functions generated by LEOHS performed similarly or outperformed existing models in the same areas of interest. This study represents a significant advancement in sensor harmonization, and the LEOHS tool enables users to conduct more accurate and unbiased time series analyses with the Landsat archive.
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spelling doaj-art-ac28b32bd0254d3ab9869d9a53d4255d2025-08-20T03:09:35ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGeocarto International1010-60491752-07622025-12-0140110.1080/10106049.2025.2538108A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonizationGalen Richardson0Anders Knudby1Koreen Millard2Wenjun Chen3Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, CanadaCanada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON, CanadaThe Landsat archive can be used to track long-term landscape and environmental changes. However, substantial differences in atmospheric correction algorithms, radiometric resolution, and spectral response functions suggest that harmonization models should be implemented when using data from OLI/OLI-2 sensors with TM/ETM+ data. Harmonized data allows models to be applied across most of the Landsat archive, as biases caused by differences in sensor spectral response function and atmospheric correction algorithms have been minimized. We propose the Landsat ETM+ OLI Harmonization Script (LEOHS), a Python package using Google Earth Engine to facilitate region-specific harmonization between ETM+ and OLI data. Regional harmonization functions generated by LEOHS performed similarly or outperformed existing models in the same areas of interest. This study represents a significant advancement in sensor harmonization, and the LEOHS tool enables users to conduct more accurate and unbiased time series analyses with the Landsat archive.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10106049.2025.2538108Landsatsensor harmonizationcross-sensor calibrationGoogle Earth EnginePython package
spellingShingle Galen Richardson
Anders Knudby
Koreen Millard
Wenjun Chen
A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
Geocarto International
Landsat
sensor harmonization
cross-sensor calibration
Google Earth Engine
Python package
title A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
title_full A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
title_fullStr A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
title_full_unstemmed A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
title_short A tool for global and regional Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 cross-sensor harmonization
title_sort tool for global and regional landsat 7 and landsat 8 cross sensor harmonization
topic Landsat
sensor harmonization
cross-sensor calibration
Google Earth Engine
Python package
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10106049.2025.2538108
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