IdePix for Sentinel-2 MSI Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document

This document provides the theoretical basis for the Sentinel-2 MSI IdePix. IdePix stands for Identification of Pixel properties and is a multi-sensor pixel identification tool available as a SNAP (Sentinel Application Platform) plugin. IdePix provides pixel identification algorithms for a wide variety of sensors like Sentinel-2 MSI, Sentinel-3 OLCI, MERIS, Landsat-8, MODIS, VIIRS, Proba-V or SPOT VGT. IdePix for Sentinel-2 MSI classifies pixels of L1C products into a series of categories (flags) for further processing using a mono-temporal approach and background information. The IdePix processor derives water droplet based cloud flags and cirrus cloud flags on multiple confidence levels, as well as cloud shadow, mountain shadow, snow/ice and water flags. This Algorithmic Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) provides a scientific description of the methods used for the Sentinel-2 MSI IdePix.