Radiometric comparison of the Landsat-5 TM and MSS sensors

The radiometric accuracy of Landsat-5 TM data and MSS data is evaluated. The TM and MSS images employed in the study were recorded simultaneously over Montreal on August 4, 1984. The radiometric and geometric correction procedures of the Canada Center for Remote Sensing are described. TM and MSS normalized and corrected apparent reflectances computed for 11 different cover types (four water areas, three urban areas having different densities, and four vegetative surfaces) are compared. It is observed that the normalized and corrected apparent reflectances from TM and MSS correlate well; and the usefulness of the processing procedure is validated.