What is the definition of a standard false color composite?

A standard false color composite is defined by the utilization of infrared bands, wherein specific infrared wavelengths are displayed using the red and green color guns on a digital display. This method is commonly adopted in remote sensing for various applications, including land cover classification and vegetation analysis. By assigning infrared bands to visible color channels, such as displaying near-infrared data in red, this technique allows for enhanced visualization of features that are otherwise not easily distinguishable in true color images. For example, healthy vegetation typically appears in brighter hues in false color composites due to their strong reflectance in the infrared spectrum. This transformation helps in identifying and analyzing different land use types more effectively.

In contrast, images that only use the green band or those without any color manipulation wouldn't produce the enhanced detail and interpretive power characteristic of false color composites. Moreover, viewing an image with a specialized filter does not define a standard false color composite, as it describes a different technique of viewing rather than the image's inherent properties.