Raster Time Sequence Operation

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Watch this video on YouTube to learn how to use this processing operation. Use the chapter indexing to skip to the detail you need.

The Raster Time Sequence operation (which was known as the Image Sequence operation prior to version 4.0) enables you to build a virtual raster with a temporal dimension. You can think of it as an operation that allows you to put together, in temporal sequence, the frames of a movie. However, the “frames” in this movie do not have to be simple images – they can be any kind of raster field data. The operation supports all field types – continuous, classified, image palette or image. 

The operation allows you to select a source raster for every “frame”. The only expectations are that all the source rasters should have the same structure – the same collection of fields and bands – and are spatially located in the same region. 

Note that the operation does not duplicate any source data or perform any actual data processing. It simply builds a virtual raster that combines the source rasters together in a temporal sequence. When you display or otherwise consume the virtual raster, the original source rasters will be accessed. 

Prior to version 4.0, this operation only allowed to select MRD algorithm files (which are a kind of virtual raster). The MVR the operation produced contained a single Image field and each source MRD file rendered a single “frame” in that temporal sequence. From version 4.0 onwards, you are free to choose rasters of any format, containing data of any kind. This opens the possibility of using temporal processing operations like “Time Differential” or “Change Matrix” to analyse temporally varying raster datasets. 

Select multiple input rasters (MRR, MVR, MRD or any raster format) that you have previously prepared for a specific region. For example, you may have a satellite scene mosaic. You have acquired scenes over multiple time periods and prepared a mosaic for each period. For each of these mosaics, you have generated an MRD rendering algorithm. Now you want to combine these algorithms. 

Browse to each input raster file. It will be added to the list and automatically placed in order by increasing time. The event time is acquired from the raster, if possible, and reflected in the list. You can edit and modify this time, which may change the order of the files in the list. You can also delete items from the list. Once you have added all the files you require, specify the output MVR filename, and hit OK. The new MVR file will immediately be opened and displayed in ProRaster. 

The structure of the MVR will reflect the structure of the first raster in the temporal sequence. As such, it may contain continuous data, classified data, or imagery – and it will be displayed appropriately. You can use the Time Control Panel to step between temporal events (frames in the MVR). For smooth animation, use the Swapping mechanism in the map window, and choose Time as the swap target.