Application of GIS for Calculate Normalize Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using LANDSAT MSS, TM, ETM+ and OLI_TIRS in Kilite Awulalo, Tigray State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), estimating and measures the amount of vegetation cover and changing green vegetation.  NDVI, a ratio (reflectance difference) of the near infrared (NIR) wavelength band and the visible red band, identifies the “greenness” of vegetation, making it a useful tool to highlight vegetation cover density. To do this, the aims of the study are to examine the application of GIS for the amount of vegetation cover and changing green vegetation.  For this study, three LANDSAT images covering over a period 1984 (Landsat-5 TM); 2000 (Landsat-7 ETM+) and 2014 (Landsat-8 OLI_TIRS) was used and analyzed using Arc GIS 10.1. Preprocessing stages including radiance and radiometric corrections were conducted, and NDVI of those images were derived. The result shows that the value of NDVI for image 1984 (TM), the NDVI value fluctuated from –0.508629 to +0.756483, for image 2000 (ETM+ ) the derived values varies from -0.972671 to + 0.999338 and for image 2014 (OLI_TIRS) values varies from -0.381363 to + 0.886275. From this we can understand that there is a significant change between vegetated and non-vegetated land from year 1984, year 2000 and year 2014.

Keywords: Landsat, Remote Sensing, Vegetation Index, NDVI.