The calibration accuracy of Landsat data is under the responsibility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) and South Dakota State University (SDSU). The calibration has always relied on the Landsat Calibration Validation Science Team (CVST), including people from NASA GSFC, USGS EROS, SDSU, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), University of Arizona (U of A) and Rochester Institute of Science and Technology (RIT).

Initially developed for Landsat-7, the Image Assessment System (IAS) has been progressively improved in order to process data from previous Landsat missions, in particular Landsat-5.

For what concerns the characterization and calibration procedures, the IAS includes analysis tools and a trending database to record calibration information. By collecting a lot of data, IAS is notably used in order to estimate scan mirror parameters (geometric calibration), to monitor and model absolute/relative gain behaviour (radiometric calibration).

The IAS is also in charge of updating the Calibration Parameter Files (CPFs) for TM and ETM+ which is subsequently used by processing systems, in particular the ESA processing system, for Level 1 image product generation.

In 2013, the proposed calibration procedure was been updated on the ESA side, to comply with recommendations done by the USGS. The lifetime gain model has been derived from the instrument's response to pseudo invariant desert sites and from cross calibration with the Landsat-7 ETM+. This procedure is applied to all archived TM data.

Details on the USGS calibration activities can be found on the USGS website.

Documents

• Landsat TM and Landsat-7 ETM+ absolute radiometric calibration using the reflectance-based method : Paper presenting vicarious calibration results for both Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM+.
• Landsat and Thermal Infrared Imaging: An interesting part of this paper discusses the radiometric calibration approach and performance for the TM / ETM+ thermal band data. Similarly, some details on the thermal infrared sensor (TIRS) on board Landsat-8 are also given.
• On-orbit Attitude Control and Determination System (ACDS) Performance of the Landsat-7 Spacecraft: Paper presenting the significant events of the on-orbit initialization and validation period, including ACDS sensor activation and calibration.

Validation activities focus on checking the geometric and radiometric performance, in terms of both the ESA archive consistency and in comparison to the USGS archive.

Documents

• Landsat-7 ETM+: 12 Years On-Orbit Reflective Band Radiometric Performance: Paper proposing the status of radiometric performance of the ETM+ sensor over a period of 12 years.
• Multi Temporal Geolocation Accuracy of Landsat-5 TM dataset – Terrain Corrected (L1T) products: Report detailing the multi temporal geolocation accuracy of the Landsat TM dataset produced with the SLAP software v3.03, in the context of the Landsat reprocessing campaign (ESA DSI project).
• Multi Temporal Geolocation Accuracy of Landsat 7 ETM+ dataset – Terrain Corrected (L1T) products: Report detailing the multi temporal geolocation accuracy of the Landsat ETM+ dataset produced with the SLAP software v3.03, in the context of the Landsat reprocessing campaign (ESA DSI project).
• Validation of the SLAP software v3.03: Verification of Landsat-7 ETM+ data: Report detailing the quality control / validation activities and results in the case of ETM+ data (Level 1Gt and Level 1T products).
• Validation of the SLAP software v3.03 : Comparison of L1G / L1T Landsat-5 TM image grid: Short report detailing one aspect of the validation of Level 1T image geometry.
• Validation of the SLAP software v2.03: Verification of Landsat-5 TM data: Report detailing the quality control / validation activities and results in the case of TM data (Level 1G and Level 1T products).
• GLS 2000 Geometric Accuracy Validation: Paper assessing the accuracy of the GLS2000 dataset used as a raster reference for building a GCP database associated to each Landsat WRS scene.
• Landsat 4-5 TM Image Assessment System Radiometric Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document: ATBD detailing the proposed algorithms with which the radiometric calibration processing of the ESA TM data is based.
• Landsat-5 TM Lookup Table Release Version Description Document: Document describing the contents of the LUT generated by the Image Assessment System for Landsat-5.
• Landsat TM/ETM+ Bumper Mode Scan Mirror Correction Algorithm Theoretical Basis: ATBD detailing the capabilities of the processor to handle images observed in backup bumper mirror mode following the loss of the synchronization between the scan mirror and calibration shutter of TM in early 2002.
• Landsat-7 ETM+ Image Assessment System Geometric Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document: ATBD detailing the proposed algorithms with which the geometric calibration processing of the ESA TM and ETM+ data is based.
• Landsat-7 ETM+ Image Assessment System Radiometric Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document: ATBD detailing the proposed algorithms with which the radiometric calibration processing of the ESA TM and ETM+ data is based.