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  • News (10)
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  • Events (15)
  • Tools (1)
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  • News - Data Release news

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    New FLEX-related campaign datasets released

    New datasets have been released for three campaigns, covering activities supporting the upcoming FLEX mission.

  • News - Success Stories

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    PROBA-V data improve surface albedo products in Africa

    As ESA’s PROBA-V satellite marks its 10-year launch milestone, data tasked during the mission’s lifetime are still being used to assess changes in land cover.

  • News - Data Release news

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    PROBA-V ‘Collection 2’ - Reprocessed Dataset available

    The improved PROBA-V data (Collection 2) has been released. Data is available via the PROBA-V MEP and Terrascope platforms so users can freely exploit the data using Virtual machines, Jupyter Notebooks, and the new viewing application.

  • News - Thematic area articles

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    Monitoring water on Earth's surface

    ESA's Earth observation satellites are playing a leading role in furthering our understanding of how Earth's terrestrial hydrosphere is being influenced by humankind.

  • News - Thematic area articles

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    Global understanding of Earth's land surfaces greatly boosted by satellite data

    ESA perform land surface monitoring with a range of instruments onboard satellites acquiring optical and radar data. Collections of data from these missions are freely available for research purposes.

  • Data - EO Sign In Authentication (Open)

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    PAZ ESA archive

    The PAZ ESA archive collection consists of PAZ Level 1 data previously requested by ESA supported projects over their areas of interest around the world and, as a consequence, the products are scattered and dispersed worldwide and in different time windows. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new products over the years. Available modes are: StripMap mode (SM): SSD less than 3 m for a scene 30 km x 50 km in single polarization or 15 km x 50 km in dual polarisation ScanSAR mode (SC): the scene is 100 x 150 km2, SSD less than 18 m in signle pol only Wide ScanSAR mode (WS): single polarisation only, with SS less than 40 m and scene size of 270 x 200 km2 Spotlight modes (SL): SSD less than 2 m for a scene 10 km x 10 km, both single and dual polarization are available High Resolution Spotlight mode (HS): in both single and dual polarisation, the scene is 10x5 km2, SSD less than 1 m Staring Spotlight mode (ST): SSD is 25 cm, the scene size is 4 x 4 km2, in single polarisation only. The available geometric projections are: Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC): single look product, no geocoding, no radiometric artifact included, the pixel spacing is equidistant in azimuth and in ground range Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD): detected multi look product, simple polynomial slant-to-ground projection is performed in range, no image rotation to a map coordinate system is performed Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC): multi look detected product, projected and re-sampled to the WGS84 reference ellipsoid with no terrain corrections Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC): multi look detected product, projected and re-sampled to the WGS84 reference ellipsoid, the image distortions caused by varying terrain height are corrected using a DEM. The following table summarises the offered product types. EO-SIP product type Operation Mode Geometric Projection Geometric Projection PSP_SM_SSC Stripmap (SM) Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) PSP_SM_MGD Stripmap (SM) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_SM_GEC Stripmap (SM) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_SM_EEC Stripmap (SM) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) PSP_SC_MGD ScanSAR (SC) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_SC_GEC ScanSAR (SC) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_SC_EEC ScanSAR (SC) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_SC_SSC ScanSAR (SC) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) PSP_SL_SSC Spotlight (SL) Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) PSP_SL_MGD Spotlight (SL) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_SL_GEC Spotlight (SL) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_SL_EEC Spotlight (SL) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) PSP_HS_SSC High Resolution Spotlight (HS) Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) PSP_HS_MGD High Resolution Spotlight (HS) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_HS_GEC High Resolution Spotlight (HS) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_HS_EEC High Resolution Spotlight (HS) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) PSP_ST_SSC Staring Spotlight (ST) Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) PSP_ST_MGD Staring Spotlight (ST) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_ST_GEC Staring Spotlight (ST) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_ST_EEC Staring Spotlight (ST) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) PSP_WS_SSC Wide ScanSAR (WS) Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) PSP_WS_MGD Wide ScanSAR (WS) Multi Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) PSP_WS_GEC Wide ScanSAR (WS) Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) PSP_WS_EEC Wide ScanSAR (WS) Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected (EEC) As per ESA policy, very high-resolution data over conflict areas cannot be provided.

  • News - Thematic area articles

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    Satellite data boost global understanding of land surface

    Understanding our changing land surface is essential in the study of climate change. Satellites are used to monitor changes to the material that covers Earth’s surface, so-called land cover, such as vegetation and water.

  • Event - Workshop

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    Fringe 1996 Workshop

    The workshop on ERS SAR Interferometry was open to scientists and students working in the field of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry and its applications.

  • Event - Workshop

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    SEASAR 2008

    The "Advances in SAR Oceanography from Envisat and ERS missions" was a thematic workshop on SAR remote sensing techniques for oceanography.

  • Event - Workshop

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    Aquaculture User Consultation

    The main goal of the workshop was to define a detailed set of user requirements for the future ESA Aquaculture project.

  • News - Events and Proceedings

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    Φ-Week Triumphs

    In its fourth edition, Φ-Week presented the scientific community with amazing opportunities and projects—thus running alongside innovation at 360 degrees.

  • Mission - Third Party Missions

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    COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation

    COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation is at the forefront of radar technology, will ensure improvements and guarantee continuity with the First Generation CSK satellites, preserving the high quality and the highest precision features, both required for the interferometric activities.

  • Data - Data Description

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    Envisat ASAR AP Co- and Cross-polar L0 [ASA_APC/APH/APV_0P]

    The ASAR Alternating Polarization Mode Level 0 (Co-polar and Cross-polar H and V) products contain time-ordered Annotated Instrument Source Packets (AISPs) corresponding to one of the three possible polarisation combinations: HH & HV, VV & VH and HH & VV, respectively. The echo samples in the AISPs have been compressed to 4 bits/sample using FBAQ. This is a high-rate, narrow swath mode, so data is only acquired for partial orbit segments. There are two co-registered images per acquisition and may be from one of seven different image swaths. The Level 0 product was produced systematically for all data acquired within this mode. Data Size: 56-100 km across track x 100 km along track. There are three AP Mode Level 0 products: ASA_APH_0P: The Cross-polar H Level 0 product corresponds to the polarisation combination HH/HV. ASA_APV_0P: The Cross-polar V Level 0 product corresponds to the polarisation combination VV/VH. ASA_APC_0P: The Co-polar Level 0 product corresponds to the polarisation combination HH/VV= H and H received/V transmit and V received.

  • Tools - Other

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    Food Security TEP

    The Food Security Thematic Exploitation Platform (TEP) enables access, processing, uploading, visualisation, manipulation and comparison of data related to food security.

  • News - Success Stories

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    Using Satellite Data to Predict Floods and Droughts

    Scientists are turning to remote sensing to fill the in-situ data gap in hydrological data models in some parts of the world.

  • News - Success Stories

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    Publication of Coastal Current Intrusions from Satellite Altimetry

    A new study entitled “Coastal current intrusions from satellite altimetry” has just been published in the journal Remote Sensing. This study comes from an international collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA), MIO (Fr), CNR (It) and Serco (It) with the goal of monitoring coastal intrusions into the Gulf of Lion by analyzing multi-mission Satellite Altimetry data with Machine Learning methods

  • Data - Fast Registration with approval (Restrained)

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    RADARSAT-2 ESA archive

    The RADARSAT-2 ESA archive collection consists of RADARSAT-2 products requested by ESA supported projects over their areas of interest around the world. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new products over the years. Following Beam modes are available: Standard, Wide Swath, Fine Resolution, Extended Low Incidence, Extended High Incidence, ScanSAR Narrow and ScanSAR Wide. Standard Beam Mode allows imaging over a wide range of incidence angles with a set of image quality characteristics which provides a balance between fine resolution and wide coverage, and between spatial and radiometric resolutions. Standard Beam Mode operates with any one of eight beams, referred to as S1 to S8, in single and dual polarisation . The nominal incidence angle range covered by the full set of beams is 20 degrees (at the inner edge of S1) to 52 degrees (at the outer edge of S8). Each individual beam covers a nominal ground swath of 100 km within the total standard beam accessibility swath of more than 500 km. Beam Mode Product Nominal Resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options Standard SLC 25 8.0 or 11.8 x 5.1 9.0 or 13.5 x 7.7 100 x 100 20 - 52 1 x 1 Single Pol HH or VV or HV or VH - or - Dual HH + HV or VV + VH SGX 8.0 x 8.0 26.8 - 17.3 x 24.7 1 x 4 SGF 12.5 x 12.5 SSG, SPG Wide Swath Beam Mode allows imaging of wider swaths than Standard Beam Mode, but at the expense of slightly coarser spatial resolution. The three Wide Swath beams, W1, W2 and W3, provide coverage of swaths of approximately 170 km, 150 km and 130 km in width respectively, and collectively span a total incidence angle range from 20 degrees to 45 degrees. Polarisation can be single and dual. Beam Mode Product Nominal Resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options Wide SLC 30 11.8 x 5.1 13.5 x 7.7 150 x 150 20 - 45 1 x 1 Single: Pol HH or VV or HV or VH - or - Dual: HH + HV or VV + VH SGX 10 x 10 40.0 - 19.2 x 24.7 1 x 4 SGF 12.5 x 12.5 SSG, SPG Fine Resolution Beam Mode is intended for applications which require finer spatial resolution. Products from this beam mode have a nominal ground swath of 50 km. Nine Fine Resolution physical beams, F23 to F21, and F1 to F6 are available to cover the incidence angle range from 30 to 50 degrees. For each of these beams, the swath can optionally be centred with respect to the physical beam or it can be shifted slightly to the near or far range side. Thanks to these additional swath positioning choices, overlaps of more than 50% are provided between adjacent swaths. RADARSAT-2 can operate in single and dual polarisation for this beam mode. Beam Mode Product Nominal resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options Fine SLC 8 4.7 x 5.1 5.2 x 7.7 50 x 50 30 - 50 1 x 1 Single: Pol HH or VV or HV or VH - or - Dual: HH + HV or VV + VH SGX 3.13 x 3.13 10.4 - 6.8 x 7.7 1 x 1 SGF 6.25 x 6.25 SSG, SPG In the Extended Low Incidence Beam Mode, a single Extended Low Incidence Beam, EL1, is provided for imaging in the incidence angle range from 10 to 23 degrees with a nominal ground swath coverage of 170 km. Some minor degradation of image quality can be expected due to operation of the antenna beyond its optimum scan angle range. Only single polarisation is available. Beam Mode Product Nominal resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options Extended Low SLC 25 8.0 x 5.1 9.0 x 7.7 170 x 170 10 - 23 1 x 1 Single: HH SGX 10.0 x 10.0 52.7 - 23.3 x 24.7 1 x 4 SGF 12.5 x 12.5 SSG, SPG In the Extended High Incidence Beam Mode, six Extended High Incidence Beams, EH1 to EH6, are available for imaging in the 49 to 60 degree incidence angle range. Since these beams operate outside the optimum scan angle range of the SAR antenna, some degradation of image quality, becoming progressively more severe with increasing incidence angle, can be expected when compared with the Standard Beams. Swath widths are restricted to a nominal 80 km for the inner three beams, and 70 km for the outer beams. Only single polarisation available. Beam Mode Product Nominal resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options Extended High SLC 25 11.8 x 5.1 13.5 x 7.7 75 x 75 49 - 60 1 x 1 Single Pol HH SGX 8.0 x 8.0 18.2 - 15.9 x 24.7 1 x 4 SGF 12.5 x 12.5 SSG, SPG ScanSAR Narrow Beam Mode provides coverage of a ground swath approximately double the width of the Wide Swath Beam Mode swaths. Two swath positions with different combinations of physical beams can be used: SCNA, which uses physical beams W1 and W2, and SCNB, which uses physical beams W2, S5, and S6. Both options provide coverage of swath widths of about 300 km. The SCNA combination provides coverage over the incidence angle range from 20 to 39 degrees. The SCNB combination provides coverage over the incidence angle range 31 to 47 degrees. RADARSAT-2 can operate in single and dual polarisation for this beam mode. Beam Mode Product Nominal resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options ScanSAR Narrow SCN, SCF, SCS 20 25 x 25 81 - 38 x 40 - 70 300 x 300 20 - 46 2 x 2 Single Co or Cross: HH or VV or HV or VH - or - Dual: HH + HV or VV + VH ScanSAR Wide Beam Mode provides coverage of a ground swath approximately triple the width of the Wide Swath Beam Mode swaths. Two swath positions with different combinations of physical beams can be used: SCWA, which uses physical beams W1, W2, W3, and S7, and SCWB, which uses physical beams W1, W2, S5 and S6. The SCWA combination allows imaging of a swath of more than 500 km covering an incidence angle range of 20 to 49 degrees. The SCWB combination allows imaging of a swath of more than 450 km covering the incidence angle. Polarisation can be single and dual. Beam Mode Product Nominal resolution (metres) Nominal Pixel Spacing Range x Azimuth (metres) Resolution Range x Azimuth (metres) Nominal Scene Size Range x Azimuth (kilometres) Range of Angle of Incidence (degrees) Number of Looks Range x Azimuth Polarisations Options ScanSAR Wide SCW, SCF, SCS 100 50 x 50 163 - 73 x 78 - 106 500 x 500 20 - 49 4 x 2 Single Co or Cross: HH or VV or HV or VH - or - Dual: HH + HV or VV + VH These are the different products : SLC (Single Look Complex): Amplitude and phase information is preserved. Data is in slant range. Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track SGF (Path Image): Data is converted to ground range and may be multi-look processed. Scene is oriented in direction of orbit path. Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track. SGX (Path Image Plus): Same as SGF except processed with refined pixel spacing as needed to fully encompass the image data bandwidths. Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track SSG(Map Image): Image is geocorrected to a map projection. SPG (Precision Map Image): Image is geocorrected to a map projection. Ground control points (GCP) are used to improve positional accuracy. SCN(ScanSAR Narrow)/SCF(ScanSAR Wide) : ScanSAR Narrow/Wide beam mode product with original processing options and metadata fields (for backwards compatibility only). Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track SCF (ScanSAR Fine): ScanSAR product equivalent to SGF with additional processing options and metadata fields. Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track SCS(ScanSAR Sampled) : Same as SCF except with finer sampling. Georeferenced and aligned with the satellite track. Spatial coverage: Check the spatial coverage of the collection on a map available on the Third Party Missions Dissemination Service.

  • Event - Training

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    3rd Advanced Training Course on Ocean Remote Sensing 2013

    The 3rd Advanced Training Course on Ocean Remote Sensing was held from 23 to 27 September 2013 in Cork, at the National Maritime College of Ireland.

  • News - Data Release news

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    RADARSAT data on demand

    In the framework of the Earthnet programme, ESA is distributing RADARSAT data on-demand to support EO science and research activities.

  • Event - Meeting

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    Proba-V Cloud Detection Round Robin Meeting

    A Round Robin exercise aimed at the inter-comparison of different cloud detection algorithms for Proba-V has been organised by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO).