Many data providers need to make a large number of browse images available to users (either inside organizations with large image holdings or to customers of these organizations).
The workflows defined in this section create mosaic datasets which reference the images and store the metadata in a structured form, enabling detailed search and display. Image services based on this type of mosaic dataset not only enable a search of imagery based on attributes and location, but will also enable previews of the imagery to be displayed in web maps.
For an example application that uses browse imagery, check out Landsat Look .
What is browse imagery?
Browse imagery is published to provide users the ability to search, review, and order full-resolution content. Browse imagery is a low resolution, three-band, compressed version of the full resolution content. It is used as a reference, not for image analysis.
Organizations that acquire imagery typically (1) generate lower-resolution browse images by processing the full-resolution imagery and (2) generate some form of database to define and manage metadata. In many cases, the extent of the images is also defined using four-vertex polygons.
This browse image workflow assumes that the imagery has already been created and that the metadata exists and has been transformed into a feature class.
The workflows defined in this section create the mosaic datasets that reference the images and store the metadata information in a structured form to enable detailed search and display. Image services based on this type of mosaic dataset not only enable a search of imagery based on attributes and location but will also enable previews of the imagery to be displayed in web maps.
What are the key objectives when using browse imagery?
- Organize source data for applications intended to help end users quickly find, view, and select images using a web browser or a web application
- Support tools for efficiently sorting images and appropriate metadata, so that users can select images based on specific criteria (using attributes such as image date, resolution, cloud cover, look angle, multiple-attribute sort, and so on)
- Deliver browse imagery to users quickly
- Update the full catalog of browse images efficiently as new data becomes available
Many of the objectives listed above focus on the software application used to query and view browse imagery. However, this workflow focuses on creating and maintaining the data model required to support whatever application end users utilize to access browse imagery.