NDVI en ArcGIS

Leveraging NDVI to calculate other indices in Image

Analysis window
by kevin_butler on July 3, 2013

The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) tool in the Image Analysis Window
calculates how vigorous the vegetation is in an area. But its not the only index available,
although it may be the most widely used.

When indices have the same format as NDVI, which is to say (Band X Band Y)/(Band X +
Band Y) you can substitute any of the bands and the tool will still work. For example, to
calculate the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), select the near infrared and the
shortwave infrared bands. For Landsat 7, band 4 is near infrared and band 5 is shortwave
infrared. For Landsat 8, band 5 and 6 showed the most contrast (in a limited observation of
Landsat 8 here at Redlands). Choose the appropriate bands and click the NDVI button, and
your output will be the NDBI. NDBI is great for showing impervious surfaces and is really
useful for detecting the growth of cities.

The reason this works is because the NDVI tool is programmed; see last weeks blog for
more background on what the tool is doing. Urban areas are the lighter blues, green is
forest, and the deep blues are water. Heres what the NDBI looks likecan you guess what
city this is?
Written by Kevin J Butler