MAT'S Freeware: SatTo8


SatTo8 is a command line utility program which can be used to convert 8,10 or 16-bit grayscale satellite data files into the more common 8-bit 'TIF' or 'BMP' image formats. Implemented for MSDOS, SatTo8 can easily be run within a DOS window in WIN3 or WIN95. (Other platforms may be supported in the future).

Sample AVHRR/HRPT image which was converted by SatTo8. By taking advantage of the increased dynamic range of the AVHRR file, SatTo8 was able to accentuate the land detail. This sample image shows part of Lake Michigan, Chicago, surrounding cities, and even major highways!

SatTo8 will convert AVHRR files from NOAA's Satellite Active Archive or HDF files like those found at NASA's GOES/GMS 4km archive into a standard BMP or TIF format. Through command line options, the user can control the tonal equalization parameters which are used to convert 10bit grayscale images to 8bit images.


SatTo8.zip (18k) This ZIP archive contains version 0.10 of the SATTO8.exe program and document files. (970825)
SatTo8.txt (7k) Document for SatTo8 rev 0.10 in plain ASCII text format. Click on the link to view and/or download it. (970825)
avhsamp.zip (734k)
Sample AVHRR/GAC data set containing imager channels 1 and 4 ..... Hurricane Guillermo on 8/5/97 at 20:37UTC. Courtesy of NOAA's Satellite Active Archive. (970825)



The thumbnails below are samples from my satellite galleries. After using SatTo8 to convert AVHRR data from NOAA to 8-bit TIFs, visible and infrared imager channels were combined with Corel Photo-Paint to create the color effect. If you'd like to see more, click on either thumbnail to go to the appropriate gallery.

Hurricane ERIKA just after sunrise on 9/8/97 at 6:36am EDT.

Smoke from brush fires in Malibu, CA on a clear day - 10/21/96 at 2:07pm PDT.

version: 9/10/97 ..... author: Mark A Thomas - EMAIL - HOME