MASTER Airborne Multispectral Imagery from 2012 California Student Campaign

MASTER instrument data from the 2012 Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) includes Level 1B georeferenced multispectral imagery. The dataset covers five flights with 19 tracks over southern California from June 25-27, 2012, providing calibrated radiance across 50 spectral bands. SARP was an eight-week NASA program for undergraduate students to gain hands-on airborne science research experience.

Use Cases

• Land surface temperature analysis using thermal infrared bands (wavelengths up to 12.879 micrometers).
• Vegetation and land cover classification with 20-meter resolution imagery across visible and infrared spectra (0.460 to 12.879 micrometers).
• Calibration and validation of satellite-derived products using airborne-measured radiance data.
• Educational analysis of flight paths, instrument configuration, and ancillary notes to understand airborne campaign logistics.
• Generation of browse images for quick visual assessment of georeferenced scene content.

Strengths

• Provides calibrated radiance data across 50 specific spectral bands, enabling detailed spectral analysis.
• Offers a high spatial resolution of approximately 20 meters for airborne imagery.
• Includes ancillary data such as flight paths, band information, and instrument configuration for context.
• Dataset is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating reviewed importance.

Limitations

• Core data format is HDF-4, which may require specialized software for access and processing.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between platforms (2012-06 27 vs. 2026-03-13), creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided across any source.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Student Airborne Research Program (SARP).

Collection Method

Data collected by the MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) instrument aboard a Lockheed P-3B Orion aircraft.

Time Range

2012-06-25 to 2012-06-27

Freshness

2026-03-13 00:57:39.600258

Geography

Southern California, U.S.