Glossary for Geospatial Science

16-bit raster object:� A raster in which each cell is represented by two bytes (16 bits) and can therefore assume 65,536 possible values.� Elevation data commonly is expressed in 16-bit data.� When color composite images are stored in 16-bit rasters, 5 bits represent the intensity level for red, 5 bits green, and 5 bits blue (the 16th bit is typically unused).� With this scheme (32 possible levels for each color), each cell in a 16-bit composite color raster can take any one of 32,768 possible colors.