Rachel Bird

Canopy classification with S-band polarimetric SAR data

New Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) missions in S-band are currently under design but the potential performance of this microwave frequency is still under discussion. This paper presents the outcomes of a study on canopy classification carried out with fully polarimetric S- and X-band datasets contemporaneously acquired by the Astrium airborne SAR demonstrator. Classical polarimetric decompositions have been applied to investigate the S-band capabilities in vegetation monitoring and preliminary results are here presented.

NovaSAR: Next generation developments

NovaSAR is a spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) programme conceived by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS), with support from the UK Government, employing a novel small satellite design capable of supporting the requirements of a high performance SAR payload [1]. The current system operates in S-Band and focuses on maritime and forestry applications. The NovaSAR-S mission will demonstrate a highly capable system provided at a significantly lower cost than traditional spaceborne SAR systems. This first satellite, due for launch in 2016, will demonstrate the approach and technology adopted. In parallel a number of enhancements and developments have been identified which will not only extend the capability offered by the first mission but will also expand the utility of the NovaSAR programme - once again pushing the boundaries of small satellite system performance pioneered by SSTL. This paper discusses some of the potential modifications to the NovaSAR payload and platform design.

The World’s First Commercial SAR and Optical 16-Satellite Constellation

UrtheCast plans to build, launch and operate the world’s first fully-integrated, multispectral Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) commercial constellation of Earth observation satellites. These will be deployed over multiple launches in 2019 and 2020. Known as the Constellation, it will comprise of 8 Optical and 8 SAR satellites flying in two orbital planes, with each plane consisting of four satellite pairs. Each pair of satellites will consist of a dual-mode, high resolution Optical satellite (video and pushbroom) and a dual-band high resolution SAR satellite (X-band and L-band) flying in tandem.

LOCUS: Low cost upper atmosphere sounder

We present the results of an instrument concept study for a low cost terahertz sounder of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). Recent advances in the development of Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) technology to be used for Local Oscillators (LOs) mean that it has now become viable for the first time to build compact, low weight heterodyne receivers in the terahertz (THz) frequency range [28]. Some of the most important atmospheric constituents of the MLT region, e.g. atomic oxygen (O) and the hydroxyl radical (OH), can only realistically be measured at THz frequencies. The technical challenges of THz remote sensing result in a large uncertainly of the global distribution of these species. Recent research indicates that the MLT region exhibits links to processes associated with climate change. From this follows a strong need to measure the composition and dynamic of the MLT region more accurately and more comprehensively.