SIR-C (Shuttle Imaging Radar - C band)
Question 1
Into what general category of EOS does the instrument fall?
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Question 2
What capture technology is used?
Multipolarisation, multifrequency Synthetic aperture radar
Question 3
Is the sensor active or passive?
Active
Question 4
At what wavelength(s) does the sensor function?
There are three antennas, one operating at L-band where the wavelength is 23.5cm
One at C-band is 5.8cm wavelength
The third X-band is 3cm wavelength
Question 5
What resolution does the sensor have – temporal and spatial?
Temporal
Typically 30 x 30 on the surface
Spatial
Not relevant
Question 6
Is the sensor carried on an airborne or spaceborne platform? What is that platform – typically?
The sensor is carried on a spaceborne platform
Question 7
Who developed/launched/manages the sensor?
The organisations involved included NASA, the German Space Agency (DARA) and the Italian Space Agency. The sensor was built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory within NASA.
Question 8
Can data be purchased from service providers?
Earth Explorer
Question 9
What products are available?
30x30m DEM
Question 10
At which main application areas is the sensor aimed?
The main application areas that the sensor aimed is to help scientists distinguish between environmental changes in the climate from changes resulting in human activity. The projects included discovering the Earth's land surfaces including vegetation coverage, snow pack extent, wetlands, geologic features, volcanic processes, ocean wave heights and wind speeds over the oceans. There are areas known as “supersites” that are prority areas where the scientists wished to investigate. They are different environments that included Ecology, Hydrology, and oceanology.
List 2 specific projects, where they have been reported, their goals and their outcomes.
One of the projects that was studued was Kliuchevskoi Volcano in Russia. As it erupted, the SIR-C radar was able to illuminate the volcano. From this, scientists were able to analyse the recent activity of this volcano.
The Roter Kamm impact crater in southwest Namibia is another studie that scientists wanted to study. This impact crater on the surface of the Earth will help geologists to understand the role of the impact process in the Earth's evolution, including effects on the atmosphere and on biological evolution.
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