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I am trying to convert pixel DNs to reflectance from a Planet BGRN Analytic Scene (from 2016, I can't tell what level it is processed to). However, I can't find info on the exo-atmospheric irradiance of the 4 bands. Is this available somewhere?

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    Welcome to GIS SE kmc44. Please provide links to data you are referring to.
    – Aaron
    Commented Feb 4, 2017 at 5:15
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    From planet.com/products/satellite-imagery/files/… I'd say that there is no fixed relationship unless you have RapidEye, in which case see Section 6.4.2 of that document.
    – BradHards
    Commented Feb 4, 2017 at 7:06

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If the file contains "DN" in the name then it is not scaled radiance and there is are no coefficients available to scale to scale to exo-atmospheric irradiance.

If the product is the "analytic" asset from the PSScene4Band type the filename should include "_3B_AnalyticMS" and it is scaled radiance.

If the product is the "analytic" asset from the PSOrthoTile type the filename should include "_BGRN_Analytic" and it is scaled radiance.

If you have a scaled radiance product, you can multiple by 0.01 to convert the 16bit pixels values to watts per steradian per square meter (W/m²srμm).

If you want to convert to convert to top of atmosphere reflectance, you will need to multiply by the value of the "reflectanceCoefficient" from the associated _metadata.xml file. Note that you do not compose the radiometricScaleFactor (0.01) and the reflectanceCoefficient - just multiple the original pixels values from the analytic files by hte reflectanceCoefficient. This ought to be covered page 32 of https://www.planet.com/products/satellite-imagery/files/1611.09_Spec_Sheet_Combined_Imagery_Product_Letter_DraftV3.pdf or perhaps there is a more recent version that did not come up in my google search.

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  • Thanks Frank. This is exactly what I want to do. I have the associated metadata.xml file -- is it the reflectance coefficient that I need (after I multiply by the radiometricScaleFactor)?
    – kmc44
    Commented Feb 5, 2017 at 18:32
  • @kmc44, I updated my answer about with additional details. It does not appear the normal external product docs cover this aspect yet, though added the value in the _metadata.xml file production a 2-3 months ago. Commented Feb 6, 2017 at 4:17

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