Processing image and raster data can be as basic as georeferencing the data and improving or altering the appearance. It can be more advanced, such as applying image processing algorithms to distinguish specific information or features such as vegetative indexes, image fusion, or edge detection; or performing analytical functions, such as neighborhood, proximity and watershed analysis.
ArcGIS has many extensions for working with image and raster data; these include:
- ArcGIS Spatial Analyst includes a broad range of powerful raster modeling and analysis features that allow you to create, query, map, and analyze cell-based raster data. It also allows integrated raster–vector analysis, and adds more than 200 tools to the ArcGIS geoprocessing framework.
- ArcGIS 3D Analyst is used for three-dimensional visualization and analysis. It includes the ArcGlobe and ArcScene applications. It also includes terrain data management and geoprocessing tools.
- ArcGIS Image Server can be used to manage and publish large collections of imagery which can be served by ArcGIS Server or stand-alone applications. It includes many embedded raster processing operations that can be applied to the imagery while it is being served.
- ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst contains advanced statistical tools for surface generation and for analyzing and mapping continuous datasets. It includes exploratory spatial data analysis tools providing insights about data distribution, global and local outliers, global trends, level of spatial autocorrelation, and variation among multiple datasets.
- ArcScan for ArcGIS performs raster-to-vector conversion tasks on scanned documents, including raster editing, raster snapping, manual raster tracing, and batch vectorization.