L8 SPARCS Cloud Validation Masks

This dataset was originally created by M. Joseph Hughes, Oregon State University, and was derived manually from Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) scenes. Its purpose was to validate cloud and cloud shadow masking derived from the Spatial Procedures for Automated Removal of Cloud and Shadow (SPARCS) algorithm. Each product is provided as a thematic raster, and includes the classes of “cloud”, “cloud shadow”, “snow/ice”, ”water”, and ”flooded”. While these validation images were subjectively digitized by a single analyst, they provide useful information for quantifying the accuracy of clouds flagged by various cloud masking algorithms. Each mask is a 1000 pixel by 1000 pixel subset of an original Landsat Level-1 scene. The mask and accompanying color composite preview image are provided in PNG image format, and includes all bands from the original Landsat Level-1 data (GeoTIFF band-interleaved by pixel (BIP)), Landsat Level-1 quality band (GeoTIFF), and its associated Level-1 metadata (MTL.txt file).