Glossary for Geospatial Science

8-bit raster object:  A raster in which each cell is represented by one byte (8 bits) and can therefore assume 256 possible values.  Multi-spectral imagery uses 8 bits to represent the intensity of each spectral band.  A TNTmips project file may contain such a set of 8-bit raster objects of multi-spectral imagery.  Each 8-bit band can be displayed by itself in 256 levels of gray or in individual, complete colors from a 256-color map.  Three 8-bit bands can be selected and used for Red, Green, and Blue intensity values in a composite color image.  With 8-bit display hardware, TNTmips optimizes the color information and displays the composite image in 256 colors.  With 16-bit hardware, TNTmips displays the composite image in 32,768 possible colors.  24- and 32-bit display hardware can directly handle all 16 million actual colors.