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Understanding Sentinel-2 Bands for GIS and Earth Observation

Sentinel-2 is one of the most widely used Earth observation missions for GIS, remote sensing, and environmental monitoring. Operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the Copernicus Programme, Sentinel-2 provides high-resolution, multispectral imagery that is freely available and ideal for land, vegetation, water, and urban analysis.


Sentinel-2 Bands for GIS and Earth Observation
Sentinel-2 Bands for GIS and Earth Observation

What Is Sentinel-2?


Sentinel-2 consists of two satellites (Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B) flying in the same orbit, providing global coverage every 5 days at the equator. Each satellite carries a Multispectral Instrument (MSI) that captures data in 13 spectral bands ranging from the visible to shortwave infrared (SWIR).


Key advantages of Sentinel-2 include:


  • High spatial resolution (10–60 m)

  • Wide swath width (290 km)

  • Free and open data access

  • Optimized bands for vegetation, water, and land monitoring


Sentinel-2 Band Overview


Sentinel-2 bands are designed for specific Earth observation applications. They differ in wavelength, spatial resolution, and intended use.


Key Sentinel-2 Bands Explained


Visible Bands (B2, B3, B4)


The Blue, Green, and Red bands are commonly used to create true color composites.


These bands are ideal for:


  • Visual interpretation

  • Land cover mapping

  • Urban analysis

  • Water body detection


True Color Composite (RGB):


Red: B4 | Green: B3 | Blue: B2


Near Infrared (NIR) and Red Edge Bands


Sentinel-2 excels in vegetation monitoring thanks to its NIR and Red Edge bands.


  • Band 8 (NIR) is essential for vegetation indices like NDVI.

  • Bands 5, 6, and 7 (Red Edge) provide detailed insight into plant health, chlorophyll concentration, and crop stress.


NDVI Formula:


NDVI = (B8 – B4) / (B8 + B4)


Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Bands


Bands B11 and B12 are sensitive to moisture content and heat, making them valuable for:


  • Burn scar detection

  • Wildfire monitoring

  • Soil moisture analysis

  • Geological mapping


False Color SWIR Composite:


Red: B12 | Green: B8 | Blue: B4


Atmospheric and Cloud Detection Bands


Sentinel-2 includes dedicated bands for atmospheric correction:


  • B1 and B9 for aerosol and water vapor detection

  • B10 specifically for cirrus cloud detection


These bands are critical for preprocessing workflows such as cloud masking and surface reflectance correction.


Sentinel-2 Use Cases in GIS and Earth Observation


Sentinel-2 data is widely used across industries:


  • Agriculture: crop health, crop yield predictions, and irrigation planning.

  • Forestry: monitoring deforestation, estimating biomass.

  • Water Resources: measuring water quality, turbidity, and mapping floods.

  • Urban Planning: mapping land cover change, detecting impervious surfaces.

  • Disaster Management: assessing wildfires, floods, and droughts.


Anyone involved in GIS, Remote Sensing, or Earth Observation must be familiar with the Band Information of Sentinel 2, because each of the six bands has a different application, and applying the appropriate band combination will greatly enhance the accuracy of your analysis.


Sentinel 2 is a critical dataset for many modern geospatial applications because it provides regular updates, contains extensive spectral data, and is available for free.


For more information or any questions regarding the Sentinel-2 Bands, please don't hesitate to contact us at


USA (HQ): (720) 702–4849

India: 98260-76466 - Pradeep Shrivastava

Canada: (519) 590 9999

Mexico: 55 5941 3755

UK & Spain: +44 12358 56710



 
 
 
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