Annual Cloud-Free Landsat Composite for Australian Landscape Variance

DEA Geometric Median and Median Absolute Deviation products provide annual cloud-free composite views of Australia's landscape using Landsat satellite imagery. The products are compiled each calendar year to represent average conditions and variability, enabling monitoring of changes like cropping or urban expansion. They are produced by Geoscience Australia Data.

Use Cases

• Detect land cover change from cropping or urban expansion using annual geometric median composites.
• Map burnt areas by analyzing variability in median absolute deviation values over time.
• Parameterize bio-physical models with cloud-free, pixel-composite imagery representing average annual conditions.
• Validate geophysical models using spatially regular mosaics free of boundary artifacts.
• Monitor stable features like bare rock versus dynamic areas by assessing spectral relationships between bands in the composite.

Strengths

• Annual compilation provides consistent yearly snapshots.
• Cloud-free composite mitigates missing data from cloud cover.
• Pixel-composite approach improves color balance and consistency across large regions.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column details, and sample data are unavailable.
• Product coverage is limited to Australia.
• The description lacks concrete metrics on spatial resolution or band count.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data.

Collection Method

Statistical analysis and pixel-composite algorithm applied to Landsat satellite imagery time series.

Time Range

Annual coverage for each calendar year.

Freshness

Updated annually, with a last platform update recorded in 2026.

Geography

Australia.