IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary

• GIIPSY thematic science objectives presented along with a strawman acquisition strategy

• Agency representatives from ESA, DLR, CSA, NASA, reviewed IPY activities, capabilities and constraints. ASF provided information on behalf of JAXA.

• Ice Service operational requirements were reviewed

IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary

• Comparison of thematic objectives and agency activities showed:– Substantial L and C-band SAR imagery being

acquired over Antarctica. – Substantial C-band data for InSAR is being acquired

over Greenland, Antarctica, Iceland, Svalbard, Arctic ice caps. X-band coverage for topography and velocity is beginning. InSAR and image data gaps in the Antarctic ‘pole hole’

– Extensive C-band SAR image data of Arctic and Antarctic Ice covered waters. Routine, robust, 3-6 days repeat cycle image acquisitions are not systematically acquired over the entire Arctic basin.

IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary Cont

– Seasonal snow cover at high latitudes yet to be addressed in a comprehensive fashion – over supersites. X-Band contribution?

– C-band data for permafrost mapping likely to result from Envisat and R1 acquisition plans. Suggest a F1 acquisition mission complementary to the F1 coverage collected during the CIM – How about permafrost in Europe and Russia? How do you map permafrost change – support to science can be provided by space agencies

– Limited lake and river freeze up R1 data acquired by Canadian Ice Service – how can we expand?

IPY STG SAR WorkshopData Gaps

• Coordinated Envisat/ERS/R1/TerraSAR observations could greatly increase Antarctic Insar coverage for ice sheet velocity from coast to pole.

• Complementary R1 and Envisat acquisitions could improve distribution of sea ice observations suitable for ice motion measurement.

• Reduced ground station support is a near term risk to IPY science community and sea ice operational communities

• L-band and RSAT1 coverage of Greenland and the Arctic Basin must be negotiated

• Large scale systematic X-band coverage of ice sheets and sea ice should be encouraged through a DLR IPY coordinated proposal.

IPY STG SAR WorkshopAction Items Day 1

• Action Item 1: Request systematic ALOS coverage of Greenland (InSAR) and the Arctic basin. Request that JAXA continue polar observations beyond the conclusion of IPY as their capabilites and mandate permit. (KJ)

• Provide similar refinement of acquisition plan to other space agencies (RK, IJ, KJ)

• Action Item 2: Request CSA and NASA to explore near term (1 month) approaches for using R-1 during the IPY to cover areas of the Arctic where there are Envisat data gaps.

• STG SAR coordination group to formulate a letter to be submitted to CSA, NASA external relations and MDA to avoid planning and data reception gap for RSAT 1 over both polar regions during IPY

• Action Item 3: Submit recommendation for R2 background mission and Government Allocation acquisition complementary to existing archive for IPY and which supplement gaps in other existing systems and archival data sets (science community + YC, RSJ, GR, KW)

• Action Item 4: Investigate possibilities for ENVISAT reception over Chukchi sea for IPY – Follow-on on discussions between ESA, ASF and KSAT for the reception during IPY

• Action Item5: For the science community – to develop and submit a proposal to DLR for IPY related data acquisition

IPY STG SAR WorkshopPossible Approach for today

• Select 3-4 objectives that– Solve important, large scale science problem– Fills a gap in planned IPY coverage– Involves interagency collaboration– Agree on a list of recommendations to be

submitted to STG3 for implementation

Arctic Sea Ice Observations

• Construct a C-Band coverage (3-day snapshots) for the Arctic ocean during the remaining of IPY (background missions, operation data acquisitions, etc.)– Coordinate between CSA and ESA Mission

Management desks to elaborate a plan within the constraints (RSJ, HL, DL)

– Provide science requirements (RK)

Antarctic Surface Velocity

• Winter Pole to Coast InSAR coverage of the Antarctic in high-res mode (3-4 consecutive cycles in asc and desc)– Use the coverage of the Continental Margin

already planned by ESA (slide 18) – RSAT2 background mission (Left looking) (KJ, IJ,

GR, RSJ)– Pole hole mapping with Terrasar (KJ, IJ, DF)– 3-4 cycles of L-Band PALSAR– Provide science requirements (KJ, IJ)

Arctic Glaciers, Ice Caps and Sheets

• Greenland and Major Canadian Icefields of InSAR acquisition over 3-4 consecutive cycles of high-res in winter– Large-scale synoptic acquisition plan to be

assessed by ESA and CSA for C-Band– Suggesting improved L-Band coverage– Fast moving glaciers – showed in CNES

presentation – suggested coverage by Terrasar (DF)

– Provide science requirements (IJ)

Science Super Sites

• Science community to identify supersites (look at what exist already) and determine acquisition parameters (frequency, resolution, etc.) for multi-pol and polarimetry data collection – for Jaxa, DLR and CSA to look at the possibility to program data acquisition

• Sea ice, snow water equivalent, glacier facies, permafrost

Day 2 Action Item

• STG SAR coordination group to submit a letter to CSA, NASA, and MDA senior External Relations managers to ensure RSAT1 availability and avoid receptions gaps over the polar regions