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 |
