GIS application for NDVI calculation using Landsat 8 OLI images

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) is easily calculated using the reflectance images of the scene in red and infrared bands. It permits to detect the vegetation areas (forests, grasses, groves, …) as well as to distinguish waters (oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, …) and soils (rocks, buildings, roads, …). Images supplied by Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) sensor in the bands 4 and 5 can be used for NDVI calculation, deriving by digital numbers the solar radiation incident on the satellite sensor (Top Of Atmosphere, TOA). This paper is aimed to demonstrate that this transformation can be easily operated in GIS that also permits to implement NDVI formula. Landsat 8 OLI red and near-infrared images of Campania areas around the Gulf of Naples were considered: NDVI was calculated using TOA transformation of the original data. Classification of these data was applied to distinguish three homogeneous classes such as bare soil, water (sea and lakes) and vegetation.