Marine Glossary

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synthetic aperature radar

(these are very old notes on an established technology with new applications. Since first writing these there have been many new applications of this technology to marine weather. We will update this as soon as possible. The main new application is measuring wind speeds nearly live close to land along the coast and on inland waters, something Quick Scat cannot do... more soon.)

Abbreviation is SAR. We leave this here for now till we have a chance to check what parts might still be relevant.

A satellite technology that uses radar to analyze earth features in three dimensions. It is a complex technology that requires long analysis with big computers to put together the pictures once the data have been collected. These are not "real time" shots like the visible and IR sat photos are. It can take up to one day to analyze 12 minutes of satellite data.

To our last knowledge, the US did not have SAR satellites, but have analysis stations, such as the center at University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Another is in Tomso, Norway.

Satellites used are from European Space Agency ESA-1 and Japanese Space Agency, JSA-1. There may be a Canadian satellite as well?

SAR pictures can resolve to 100 meters with standard resolution or to 30 meters with high resolution. This system was used to guide a French vessel through Russia's Northern Sea Route in 1991 and has extensive application in ice navigation and in sea state analysis. Research is underway to use the data to measure sea state conditions. It may be that the SeaSat program uses this technology? we need more research here.

Individual examples of SAR data are not available publicly, to our knowledge, but can be purchased. With a related contract, the cost is some $20 per picture according to our older notes on this.

We have this contact name for ESA data, but this may be outdated:
Radar Sat International, Satellite Distribution Centre, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC V6V 2J3, 604-244-0400

The US federal agency involved is NASA and JPL. Up to date info can be obtained on the internet from:
http://southport.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html
NASAs home page on imaging radar
and http://sparc1k.images.alaska.edu/SSUG.html
SAR users guide, from University of AK.

Note this is very interesting and important research and a very powerful resource. We just haven't gotten to updating our information on it.

Abbreviation: SAR