Rasteriset

Rasteriset is a term used in geospatial analysis to denote a curated set of raster layers that share a common spatial grid. In practice, a rasteriset comprises multiple rasters that are aligned so they can be read and processed together. The concept is used in GIS and remote sensing to enable pixel-wise comparisons, calculations, and visualization across data layers.

Key characteristics include identical extent, pixel size, and coordinate reference system; consistent data type and no-data conventions; and a linked metadata record. Each raster may encode a different variable, such as reflectance bands, elevation, temperature, or derived indices like NDVI. A manifest or index file typically documents layer order, provenance, and processing steps.

Common workflows involve stacking rasters into a multi-band dataset, aligning rasters from different sources, performing pixel-wise analyses across bands, and conducting change detection or time-series analyses on sequential rasters.

Storage and standards: Rasteriset data are commonly stored as GeoTIFFs, cloud-optimized GeoTIFFs, or HDF5 files. Metadata follows standards such as ISO 19115 or OGC conventions, and catalogs or inventories help manage large collections. Software tools in GIS and remote sensing ecosystems support viewing, querying, and processing rasteriset bundles.