Linking Mission Goasl to Societal Benefit
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Indian Space Research Organisation are planning a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission for launch in 2020. The mission is a dual L- and S-band polarimetric SAR satellite with a 12-day interferometric orbit that will provide systematic global coverage. Its primary science objectives are to: measure solid Earth surface deformation (earthquakes, volcanic unrest, land subsidence/uplift, landslides); track and understand cryosphere dynamics (glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice, and permafrost); characterize and track changes in vegetation structure and wetlands for understanding ecosystem dynamics and carbon cycle; and support global disaster response. In addition, the planned dense spatial and temporal sampling can support a host of additional science objectives and end-user applications.
We seek community input to develop a mission that most fully exploits its potential to serve the broadest possible user base. To that end, the project will host an applications workshop to a) inform the applications and end user communities about the mission; b) to solicit feedback on mission design elements; c) to explore new applications research directions; d) identify high-value products; and e) search for collaborative opportunities. Invited presentations will highlight potential applied science areas with SAR, both currently considered mature and those possibly advanced by the mission. Examples include agriculture, water and energy resources, disasters and infrastructure monitoring, sea ice and coastal oceans. Planned breakout sessions and panel discussions will serve to discuss applications community observational needs and data product specifications in greater detail, and how these needs could be met with observations, collection modes, fundamental SAR imaging and derived products. In this workshop we seek to engage the broad science applications and research communities, governmental agencies, developers, and potential users of NISAR data to ensure the mission produces data and products of value to the applications community.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.