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  • News - General News

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    ESA's improved Earth system data records: what is in store for the future?

    Fundamental Data Records (FDRs) are instrumental in advancing our understanding of Earth systems and for addressing societal challenges effectively. These long-term records contain uncertainty-quantified, calibrated and geo-located multi-instrument/multi-platform satellite sensor data spanning several decades to support climate-related applications.

  • News - Announcement of Opportunity updates

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    Announcement of Opportunity for SAOCOM – deadline extended

    The submission deadline for the ESA/CONAE Announcement of Opportunity for SAOCOM mission data has been extended until 31 December 2024.

  • News - Data Release news

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    FDR4ALT - ESA unveils new cutting-edge ERS/Envisat Altimeter and Microwave Radiometer Datasets

    The European Space Agency (ESA) has developed a comprehensive suite of innovative Earth system data records as part of the Fundamental Data Records for Altimetry project - FDR4ALT.

  • Data - EO Sign In Authentication (Open)

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    Sea Ice Thematic Data Product [ALT_TDP_SI]

    This is the Sea Ice Thematic Data Product (TDP) V1 resulting from the ESA FDR4ALT project and containing the sea ice related geophysical parameters, along with associated uncertainties: snow depth, radar and sea-ice freeboard, sea ice thickness and concentration. The collection covers data for the ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat missions, and bases on Level 1 data coming from previous reprocessing (ERS REAPER and the Envisat V3.0) but taking into account the improvements made at Level 0/Level 1 in the frame of FDR4ALT (ALT FDR). The Sea Ice TDP provides data from the northern or southern hemisphere in two files corresponding to the Arctic and Antarctic regions respectively for the winter periods only, i.e., October to June for the Arctic, and May to November for the Antarctic. For many aspects, the Sea Ice TDP is very innovative: First time series of sea-ice thickness estimates for ERS Homogeneous calibration, allowing the first Arctic radar freeboard time series from ERS-1 (1991) to CryoSat-2 (2021) Uncertainties estimated along-track with a bottom-up approach based on dominant sources ERS pulse blurring error corrected using literature procedure [Peacock, 2004] The FDR4ALT products are available in NetCDF format. Free standard tools for reading NetCDF data can be used. Information for expert altimetry users is also available in a dedicated NetCDF group within the products. Please consult the FDR4ALT Product User Guide before using the data. The FDR4ALT datasets represent the new reference data for the ERS/Envisat altimetry missions, superseding any previous mission data. Users are strongly encouraged to make use of these datasets for optimal results.

  • Data - EO Sign In Authentication (Open)

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    Land Ice Thematic Data Product [ALT_TDP_LI]

    This is the Land Ice Thematic Data Product (TDP) V1 resulting from the ESA FDR4ALT project and containing estimates of ice sheet surface elevation and associated uncertainties. The collection covers data for three different missions: ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat, and based on Level 1 data coming from previous reprocessing (ERS REAPER and the Envisat V3.0) but taking into account the improvements made at Level 0/Level 1 in the frame of FDR4ALT (ALT FDR). The Land Ice TDP focuses specifically on the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, providing these data in different files. For many aspects, the Land Ice Level 2 and Level 2+ processing is very innovative: Improved relocation approach correcting for topographic effects within the beam footprint to identify the Point of Closest Approach Homogeneous timeseries of surface elevation measurements at regular along-track reference nodes. The FDR4ALT products are available in NetCDF format. Free standard tools for reading NetCDF data can be used. Information for expert altimetry users is also available in a dedicated NetCDF group within the products. Please consult the FDR4ALT Product User Guide before using the data. The FDR4ALT datasets represent the new reference data for the ERS/Envisat altimetry missions, superseding any previous mission data. Users are strongly encouraged to make use of these datasets for optimal results.

  • Data - EO Sign In Authentication (Open)

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    Inland Waters Thematic Data Product [ALT_TDP_IW]

    This is the Inland Waters Thematic Data Product (TDP) V1 resulting from the ESA FDR4ALT project and containing improved Water Surface Height (WSH) data record from the ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat missions estimated using the ICE1 retracking range for its better performance on the hydro targets. The FDR4ALT products are available in NetCDF format. Free standard tools for reading NetCDF data can be used. Information for expert altimetry users is also available in a dedicated NetCDF group within the products. Please consult the FDR4ALT Product User Guide before using the data. The FDR4ALT datasets represent the new reference data for the ERS/Envisat altimetry missions, superseding any previous mission data. Users are strongly encouraged to make use of these datasets for optimal results.

  • News - Infographics

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    Showcasing the NovaSAR-1 radar satellite

    Learn about the NovaSAR-1 mission in our new infographic.

  • News - Announcement of Opportunity updates

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    ESA encourages S-band applications with NovaSAR-1 Announcement of Opportunity

    ESA is offering possibilities to develop new applications in the S-band microwave frequency range, with a new Announcement of Opportunity for NovaSAR-1 data, via ESA’s Third Party Mission programme.

  • Mission - Third Party Missions

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    NovaSAR-1

    Launched on 16 September 2018, NovaSAR-1 features an S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument offering a variety of modes with different resolutions and swath widths.

  • Data - Announcement of Opportunity (Restrained)

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    Announcement of Opportunity for NovaSAR-1

    ESA is launching an Announcement of Opportunity for the international scientific community to access data from the NovaSAR-1 mission for science and EO-based applications development.

  • Data - Project Proposal (Restrained)

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    NovaSAR-1 new tasking

    NovaSAR-1 new acquisition data are available in two baseline acquisition modes: Stripmap – provides the highest resolution of 6 metres with up to 20 km swath selected from a 150 km field of regard, available in single polarisation. ScanSAR – has a 20 - 30 metre resolution and up to 150 km swath. Available in single polarisation. Within each of the baseline modes there are a variety of mode options that vary according to ground range resolution, incidence angles, swath width and the number of looks: Acquisition Mode Polarisation Resolution (m) Swath Width (km) Incidence Angles Number of Looks Stripmap Single: HH 6 20 16.0 – 25.38° 3 (1 range, 3 azimuth) 13 – 20 21.29 – 31.2° Single: VV 6 20 16.0 – 25.38° 3 (1 range, 3 azimuth) 13 – 20 21.29 – 31.2° ScanSAR Single: HH 20 100 15.0 - 24.66° 4 (2 range, 2 azimuth) 50 24.51 - 28.94° Single: VV 20 100 15.0 – 24.66° 4 (2 range, 2 azimuth) 50 24.51 - 28.94° Single: HH 30 150 11.29 – 25.93° 4 (2 range, 2 azimuth) 55 27.35 - 32.01° Single: VV 30 150 11.29 – 25.93° 4 (2 range, 2 azimuth) 55 27.35 - 32.01° NovaSAR-1 data are provided as a Level 2 (ARD) product as standard, but the accompanying Level 1 data may also be requested. Level 1 – delivered as reconstructed, unprocessed instrument data at full resolution. Level 2 (ARD) – delivered as a processed product with applied radiometric and geometric corrections i.e. orthorectification and spatial registration: Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected (GEC) – Maritime and ocean applications Geocoded Terrain Corrected (GTC) – Land applications and change detection Where available, associated automatic identification system (AIS) data may be requested alongside the NovaSAR-1 data products.

  • News - Spotlight on EO community

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    Introducing the Biomass and SMOS Mission Manager

    In this video, Klaus Scipal describes his role as Mission Manager of Biomass and SMOS, and what he enjoys about his involvement with these dedicated science missions.

  • News - Infographics

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    Discover how RADARSAT scans Earth's surface

    Learn about how RADARSAT scans Earth's surface in our new infographic.

  • News - Thematic area articles

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    Remote sensing data underpin research on soil

    Environmental data disseminated by ESA’s Earth observation programmes provide knowledge about the stresses on Earth’s soils – aiding many applications such as crop management, drought and flood forecasting, and ecosystem protection.

  • 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.

  • News - Infographics

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    An overview of ESA's Biomass Earth Explorer satellite

    Learn about ESA's upcoming Biomass mission, which is dedicated to gathering information about the global distribution of forest biomass, in our latest infographic.

  • News - Data Release news

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    New Drift4SKIM campaign dataset released

    A new dataset has been released for the Drift4SKIM campaign, which took place in 2018 in the Atlantic Ocean.

  • News - Infographics

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    The COSMO-SkyMed series - Two generations of SAR satellites

    Learn about the COSMO-SkyMed (Constellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation) series in our latest infographic.

  • News - Success Stories

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    Decades of satellite data reveal the risks of climate tipping points

    Decades-long time series that draw on ESA’s Earth observation archives are enabling scientists to uncover the threat of sudden and potentially irreversible changes to the icy parts of the planet.

  • 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.