Band selection optimization for constructing water indices based on Sentinel-2A/B data

doi:10.6046/zrzyyg.2024342

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Abstract

The simple and efficient water index method has been widely used to monitor and identify surface water along with its spatiotemporal variations. However, with the application of narrow-band multispectral sensors, this method faces a challenge in selecting optimal bands with similar features when the data source changes during large-scale water monitoring. Guided by the normalized difference water index (NDWI) and the modified NDWI (MNDWI), and based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, this study constructed water indices using the green bands and eight red bands from the Sentienl-2A/B multispectral sensor data. Employing Otsu's method, this study identified and extracted water bodies in six quadrats measuring 90 km × 90 km across different temporal and spatial ranges in China. The results indicate that the optimal band combination for water body extraction varied across different times and locations. Compared to the eight water indices constructed from the Sentienl-2A/B multispectral sensor data, the water index based on the combination of B3 and B11 bands, combined with Otsu's method, achieved optimal water identification and extraction results. These results were observed in summer in the lake regions of the Northeast China Plain and mountains, the eastern plains, the Inner Mongolian Plateau, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Xinjiang, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In both spring and summer, the water index based on the combination of B3 and B11 bands exhibited an overall accuracy (OA) exceeding 90% and a Kappa coefficient above 0.9, indicating its applicability across different time periods. Overall, the results of this study provide a reference for the design and development of sensors targeting water extraction and monitoring, and for feature band selection in water monitoring and extraction applications based on narrow-band remote sensing data.

Keywords Sentinel-2A/B water index water body extraction band selection optimization Google Earth Engine (GEE)

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Issue Date: 31 December 2025

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	Xingsheng XIA
	Boyang LEI
	Chunjuan DOU
	Qiong CHEN
	Yaozhong PAN

Cite this article:

Xingsheng XIA,Boyang LEI,Chunjuan DOU, et al. Band selection optimization for constructing water indices based on Sentinel-2A/B data[J]. Remote Sensing for Natural Resources, 2025, 37(6): 64-76.

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https://www.gtzyyg.com/EN/10.6046/zrzyyg.2024342 OR https://www.gtzyyg.com/EN/Y2025/V37/I6/64

Fig.1 Study quadrats

Tab.1 Sentinel-2A/B satellite multispectral data parameters

Tab.2 Spectral feature analysis

Fig.2 Change of pixel of eight exponents in six quadrats

Tab.3 Spatial distribution of 8 indices in six quadrats

Tab.4 Water extraction results from the sample area of lake district in the Northeast Plain mountainous region

Tab.5 Water extraction results from the lake sample area in the Eastern Plain region

Tab.6 Water extraction results of sample area in lake area of the Inner Mongolian plateau

Tab.7 Water extraction results of lake sample area in the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau

Tab.8 Water extraction results from lake sample areas in Xinjiang region

Tab.9 Water extraction results from lake sample areas in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau region

Fig.3 Evaluation results of extraction accuracy of six quadrat water bodies

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