Remote Sensing with Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radars: A Review,

Abstract

In 1978, a spaceborne SAR was flown on the SEASAT satellite. It acquired high resolution images over many regions in North America and the North Pacific. The acquired data clearly demonstrate the capability of spaceborne SARs to: (1) image and track polar ice floes; (2) image ocean surfaces patterns including swells, internal waves, current boundaries, weather boundaries and vessels; and (3) image land features which are used to acquire information about the surfaces geology and land cover. In 1981, another SAR was flown on the second shuttle flight. This Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-A) acquired land and ocean images over many areas around the world. The emphasis of the SIR-A experiment was mainly toward geologic mapping. Some of the key results of the SIR-A experiment include: (1) imaging of subsurface features in the Western Desert of Egypt; (2) enhancement of the capability of observing geologic structural features and geomorphic features particularly in arid regions and heavily vegetated regions; and (3) observation of the short term dynamics (1 1/2 hours) of some ocean phenomena.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1983
Accession Number
ADP002722

Entities

People

  • C. Elachi
  • J. B. Cimino

Organizations

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Boundaries
  • Dynamics
  • High Resolution
  • Internal Waves
  • North America
  • Observation
  • Radio Waves
  • Remote Sensing
  • Spaceborne
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Wetland-Land-Environmental Management.

Technology Areas

  • Space