Rasters

All rasters must meet the following minimum standards, as well as any additional requirements within the specific Protocol or PDD.

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Data Format and Structure

• Data must be provided in standard GeoTIFF (.tif) format.
• Cloud-optimized GeoTIFF (COG) format is preferred for large datasets.
• Files should follow consistent naming convention: ProjectID_RasterType_Resolution_YYYYMMDD.
• Multi-band rasters should be provided as single files rather than separate files per band.
• Internal tiling and compression should be used for files larger than 1GB.
• Overviews (pyramids) should be embedded in the file.

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Data Requirements

• Must use a defined coordinate reference system that matches project requirements.
• Spatial resolution must be clearly specified and appropriate for the project needs.
• No data values must be properly defined and consistent across all bands.
• For multi-temporal data, all rasters must be co-registered with sub-pixel accuracy.
• Pixel values must use appropriate data types:
  • 8-bit unsigned integer for categorical data
  • 16-bit unsigned integer for imagery
  • 32-bit float for continuous variables
• All rasters must be properly geo-referenced with an accuracy of at least 1 pixel.

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File Metadata

• Metadata should be ISO 19115 compliant and include:
  • Unique persistent identifier for the dataset
  • Acquisition date and time
  • Sensor/source information including calibration parameters
  • Processing level and detailed methodology
  • Atmospheric correction method and parameters (if applicable)
  • Band information including:
    • Wavelength ranges
    • Units of measurement
    • Scale factors and offsets
    • Valid data ranges
  • Spatial resolution and pixel size
  • Coordinate reference system details
  • Data gaps or quality flags explanation
  • Processing software and versions used
  • Source data references and lineage
  • Access and usage restrictions
  • Keywords following standardized vocabularies
  • Point of contact information
• Metadata should delineate quality assessment results including:
  • Geometric accuracy metrics
  • Radiometric calibration results
  • Cloud cover percentage and mask generation method (if applicable)