Baotou Sand Test Site

The Baotou Sand Test Site was established to assess the radiometric and spectral performance of high spatial resolution sensor payloads on airborne and satellite platforms. Located at Urad Qianqi, Inner Mongolia in northern China, the site is ∼1270 meters (m) above sea level. The site extends over 35 km east-west and 16 km north-south, with a total area of 292.5 km2. The surface of the surrounding area is mainly desert, bare land, grassland, and farmland. 

Baotou Sand is a comprehensive calibration test site with various targets for radiometric and geometric calibration, as well as for the validation of spectrally reflective sensors and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). There are two types of targets at the site for vicarious radiometric calibration: three permanent artificial targets (BTCN) that are suitable for air-borne and high spatial resolution sensors, and one large sandy desert target (BSCN) used by moderate spatial resolution sensors, such as Landsat. 

Learn more about Baotou Sand and other test sites by accessing the USGS EROS Cal/Val Center of Excellence (ECCOE) Test Sites Catalog.