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Scene Boundaries: Unnatural differences in pixel values appear along seamlines within a data layer.  

Background:

On occasion, users may notice that a line of pixel values in a data layer differs in an unnaturally consistent manner. For example, in an Existing Vegetation Type layer, there may be a line of ponderosa pine pixels adjacent to a line of Douglas fir pixels. This is caused by differences in scene boundaries during the data development process. Scene boundaries are a common problem with any mapping project that spans multiple satellite scenes or that uses multiple image data sets (e.g., spring, summer, and fall). This problem is not unique to LANDFIRE data.

Advice:

Efforts are made by the LANDFIRE mapping team to mitigate seamlines and imagery artifacts as much as possible, but the process is limited by the availability of suitable imagery (e.g., dates, cloud free, etc), training plots, and gradient predictors, as well as sufficient time to rectify the problem. There is currently no simple fix for scene boundary problems. A possible solution, however, is for a user to obtain a scene boundary file and use the Area Change Tool, which is available from the National Interagency Fuels Technology Team (NIFTT), to fix the problem. Users would need to decide which of the classes on either side of the scene boundary best characterized the area in question, and then make the appropriate edits to pixel values using the Tool. To pursue this solution, users should contact the LANDFIRE Helpdesk to request a scene boundary file and complete training in the use of the Area Change Tool, available in NIFTT’s FOR-438 course. Select Contact Us on the LANDFIRE website.

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