Recommendations for Processing Satellite Imagery in ArcGIS Pro for Water Quality Analysis

ArcGIS Pro is indeed a powerful platform for processing satellite imagery and creating water quality maps. Here are some recommendations for specific software and tools to use within ArcGIS Pro:

1. Raster Calculator:

• Purpose: Perform mathematical operations on raster datasets.
• Use cases:Calculate indices like Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) or Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) to assess vegetation health and water bodies. Apply atmospheric corrections to remove the effects of the atmosphere on satellite imagery.

2. Band Combination:

• Purpose: Combine multiple bands of a satellite image into a single image.
• Use cases:Create false-color composites to enhance specific features, like water bodies or chlorophyll concentrations. Combine bands to create indices like NDVI or NDWI.

3. Image Classification:

• Purpose: Assign pixels in an image to specific classes based on their spectral characteristics.
• Use cases:Classify water bodies, land cover types, and potential pollution sources. Use supervised or unsupervised classification techniques depending on the availability of training data.

4. Raster Analysis Tools:

• Purpose: Perform various spatial analysis operations on raster data.
• Use cases:Calculate zonal statistics to assess water quality within specific areas. Identify areas of change over time using image differencing. Create buffer zones around water bodies to analyze potential pollution sources.

5. Geostatistical Analyst:

• Purpose: Analyze spatial patterns and trends in raster data.
• Use cases:Create interpolation maps to predict water quality parameters in areas with limited data. Assess the spatial autocorrelation of water quality variables.

6. ArcGIS Image Analyst Extension:

• Purpose: Provides advanced tools for image processing and analysis.
• Use cases:Perform atmospheric corrections and radiometric calibration. Create orthomosaics from aerial imagery. Use deep learning models for image classification and object detection.

Specific Satellite Imagery Data for Water Quality Analysis:

• Landsat: Offers multispectral imagery with a long history of data collection, suitable for monitoring changes in water quality over time.
• Sentinel-2: Provides high-resolution multispectral imagery, ideal for detailed analysis of coastal areas.
• MODIS: Offers global coverage with moderate spatial resolution, suitable for large-scale water quality monitoring.
• Sentinel-3: Provides ocean color data, including chlorophyll concentration and sea surface temperature, which can be used to assess water quality.

Additional Tips:

• Data Preprocessing: Ensure that your satellite imagery is properly calibrated and atmospherically corrected before analysis.
• Image Quality Assessment: Evaluate the quality of your imagery to identify any issues that may affect your results.
• Data Validation: Validate your results using ground truth data or other independent sources.
• Visualization: Create informative maps and charts to communicate your findings effectively

Yes, ArcGIS Pro is one of the most reliable tools for satellite image analysis if only you have a computer system integrated with a more powerful Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) like AMD or RTX. With it, you can easily create color composites of the bands in your satellite images which will aid you to easily classify your data into specific land cover types and make land cover maps for your project.

ArcGIS Pro is generally better for processing satellite imagery due to its integration with GIS workflows, user-friendly interface, and advanced spatial analysis tools. It supports a wide range of data formats and has robust machine learning and automation features. However, ENVI excels in dedicated remote sensing tasks with more specialized tools for image processing and analysis, especially in radiometric and spectral analysis. ArcGIS Pro is ideal for broader GIS integration, while ENVI is better for detailed remote sensing tasks.

Ruqayah Al-ani, Thank you so much for these recommendations. If you have used ArcGIS Pro or another imagery processing tool before, could you share your expertise?

Silas Gozey, Thank you so much for your time and for the incredibly valuable information you shared. I really appreciate your detailed response.

Ruqayah provided a great answer. I would add, if you intend to do any widespread spectral analysis then the ENVI toolset is more extensive and was originally designed for this task; however if you then plan on any GIS related tasks whatsoever then you will find Arc the way to go. as a consideration, they are better integrated in 2024 than in previous years, and more powerful together.

Conrad Wright Thank you so much for your answer. Yes, I found this after asking experts and here.

I could recommend Erdas Imagine. Special instruments are always better than universal ones.

Thank you Eugene Eremchenko for this note.

User-wise, the UI/UX is more updated and easier to navigate.