SAR SATELLITE DATA

Learn about Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data and how to add it to your ArcGIS Pro map

SAR SENSORS

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data can come from many sensors by various providers. A provider is a government or commercial entity such as the Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, ICEYE, etc., who is responsible for launching the SAR satellite and then acquiring the SAR sensor data and has not modified the metadata. In ArcGIS Pro, the supported SAR sensors are currently Capella, ICEYE, RADARSAT-2, RCM, and Sentinel-1.

SAR PRODUCTS

SAR data is commonly delivered from providers as two products:

  1. Ground Range Detected (GRD) - GRD products have been averaged to produce a multilooked image projected to the ground plane using an earth ellipsoid model. A GRD image is stored as a real valued array in which the value in each pixel represents the intensity of the measured backscatter signal.
  2. Single Look Complex (SLC) - SLC products are images in the image plane of the data acquisition, known as the slant plane. An SLC image is stored as a complex valued array in which the single complex value in each pixel represents the intensity and phase of the measured backscatter signal.

CHOOSING A PRODUCT

Which type of analysis you are doing will determine which of product you will need.

WORKING WITH GRD DATA Any analysis which utilizes the pixel intensity:

  • Map floods
  • Classify deforestation
  • Chart sea ice
  • Detect oil spills
  • Monitor maritime activity
  • Track wildfires

WORKING WITH SLC DATA Any analysis which involves interferometry *  which utilizes the pixel phase:

  • Coherent Change Detection (CCD)
  • Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR)
  • Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generation

 * interferometry - using the phase difference or interference between two signals

SAR RASTER PRODUCT

The  SAR products  are represented in the ArcGIS framework as SAR raster products (i.e. GRD and SLC) and contain raster product templates (i.e. beam mode). This allows you to add SAR data to your map directly from the original dataset, without the need for additional import or conversion tools. A raster product can have one or multiple raster product templates associated with them. Adding a raster product directly will add the default template.

SAR RASTER TYPE

SAR data is added to a mosaic dataset using SAR raster types. In ArcGIS Pro, currently the supported  SAR raster types  are:

ADD SAR DATA

Learn how to use  SAR raster types  to add a GRD  SAR raster product  from the following  supported SAR sensors :  Capella ,  ICEYE ,  RADARSAT-2 ,  RCM , and  Sentinel-1  to your ArcGIS Pro map.

ADDING CAPELLA SAR DATA

This example uses Capella Space SAR data from the  Capella Space Platform . Within the Capella dataset directory, the raster product can be added to the map from the .json file.  Tip: Use bilinear pyramids for better imagery rendering. 

Expanding the .json file shows the raster product and raster product template (i.e. Spotlight). Both the raster product and raster product template can be loaded to ArcGIS Pro. The available polarizations are represented as bands in Contents pane. Since Capella data has a single polarization, the raster product is loaded as a single-band raster.

 To learn more about Capella Space, visit this  website . 

ADDING ICEYE SAR DATA

This example uses  ICEYE SAR data  from the ICEYE  Download SAR datasets . Within the ICEYE dataset directory, the raster product can be added to the map from the .xml file.  Tip: Use bilinear pyramids for better imagery rendering. 

Expanding the .xml file shows the raster product and raster product template (i.e. Scan). Both the raster product and raster product template can be loaded to ArcGIS Pro. The available polarizations are represented as bands in Contents pane. Since ICEYE data has a single polarization, the raster product is loaded as a single-band raster.

 To learn more about ICEYE, visit the  ICEYE website . 

ADDING RADARSAT-2 SAR DATA

This example uses RADARSAT-2 SAR data from the  Canadian Space Agency (CSA) . RADARSAT-2 data is available from the  Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS) . Within the RADARSAT-2 dataset directory, the raster product can be added to the map from the .xml file.  Tip: Use bilinear pyramids for better imagery rendering. 

Expanding the .xml file shows the raster product and raster product template (i.e. Standard). Both the raster product and raster product template can be loaded to ArcGIS Pro. The available polarizations are represented as bands in Contents pane. Since RADARSAT-2 data has dual polarization (HH, HV), the raster product is loaded as an RGB raster.

 To learn more about the RADARSAT-2 mission, visit the  Canadian Space Agency  website. 

ADDING RCM SAR DATA

This example uses RCM SAR data from the  Canadian Space Agency (CSA) . RCM data is available from the  Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS) . Within the RCM dataset directory, the raster product can be added to the map from the manifest.safe file.  Tip: Use bilinear pyramids for better imagery rendering. 

Expanding the manifest.safe file shows the raster product and raster product template (i.e. Spotlight). Both the raster product and raster product template can be loaded to ArcGIS Pro. The available polarizations are represented as bands in Contents pane. Since RCM data has dual polarization (HH, HV), the raster product is loaded as an RGB raster.

 To learn more about the RCM constellation, visit the  Canadian Space Agency  website. 

ADDING SENTINEL-1 SAR DATA

This example uses  Sentinel-1   SAR data from the European Space Agency (ESA). Sentinel-1 data is available from the   Copernicus data hub   and the  Alaska Satellite Facility . Within the Sentinel-1 dataset directory, the raster product can be added to the map from the manifest.safe file.  Tip: Use bilinear pyramids for better imagery rendering. 

Expanding the manifest.safe  file shows the raster product and raster product template (i.e. IW). Both the raster product and raster product template can be loaded to ArcGIS Pro. The available polarizations are represented as bands in the Contents pane. Since Sentinel-1 data has dual polarization (VV,VH), the raster product is loaded as an RGB raster.

 To learn more about Sentinel-1, visit the  European Space Agency  website. 

WORK WITH SAR DATA

Once the SAR data has been added to your map you can begin working with your scenes. ArcGIS Pro offers  geoprocessing tools  to process and analyze SAR data.

With the  Image Analyst license , users can access ArcGIS Pro tools that support SAR data from various satellite sensors.

GEOPROCESSING TOOLS

 Geoprocessing  is a framework and set of tools for processing geographic and related data. The comprehensive suite of geoprocessing tools can be used to perform analysis or manage GIS data in an automated way. A tool can be opened and ran from the  Geoprocessing pane . You can also use any tool in  ModelBuilder  or call it from a  Python script .

There are three types of tools (Built-in, Model, Script), as shown in the table.

SAR PROCESSING

ArcGIS Pro offers powerful  SAR geoprocessing tools  to process SAR data in the SAR Toolset. This processing is needed to prepare the SAR data to ensure that it is accurate and properly located so that it can be ready for analysis and interpretation. With the  Image Analyst license , users can access ArcGIS Pro tools that support SAR data from various satellite sensors.

SAR GEOPROCESSING TOOLS

  1.  Apply Geometric Terrain Correction  Orthorectifies the input SAR data using a range-Doppler backgeocoding algorithm.
  2.  Apply Orbit Correction  Updates the orbital information in the SAR dataset using a more accurate orbit state vector (OSV) file.
  3.  Apply Radiometric Calibration  Converts the input SAR reflectivity into physical units of normalized backscatter by normalizing the reflectivity using a reference plane.
  4.  Apply Radiometric Terrain Flattening  Corrects the input SAR data for radiometric distortions due to topography.
  5.  Convert SAR Units  Converts the scaling of the input SAR data between amplitude and intensity and between linear and decibels (dB).
  6.  Create Color Composite  Creates a three-band raster dataset from a multiband raster dataset.
  7.  Despeckle  Corrects the input SAR data for speckle, which is a result of coherent illumination that resembles a grainy or salt and pepper effect.
  8.  Download Orbit File  Downloads the updated orbit files for the input SAR data.
  9.  Remove Thermal Noise  Corrects backscatter disturbances caused by thermal noise in the input SAR data, resulting in a more seamless image.

CONTACTS

Esri Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) Specialists

Elizabeth Ashley Menezes

emenezes@esri.com Hello, World! Thanks for reading our StoryMap till the end! I am an Esri Raster Product Engineer on the Imagery & Remote Sensing team. I focus and work on UX/UI design and development of RADAR & SAR based capabilities at Esri. My education is in geophysics and my thesis work centered around understanding induced earthquake occurrences using seismic data and satellite imagery. As an advocate for science communication, I enjoy bridging the gap between science and design — combining my technical knowledge with my keen eye for design to create beautiful science

Magali Barba-Sevilla

mbarba@esri.com I am the Lead Esri Raster Product Engineer on the Imagery and Remote Sensing team working on RADAR for ArcGIS Pro. I just completed my PhD in geophysics at the University of Colorado Boulder. My research focused on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications in earthquake science. In addition to seismology from space, I am passionate about STEM diversity and outreach. I am the cofounder and former chair of the Society of Latinxs/Hispanics in Earth and Space Science (SOLESS).

Elizabeth Ashley Menezes

emenezes@esri.com

Magali Barba-Sevilla

mbarba@esri.com

There are three types of tools (Built-in, Model, Script), as shown in the table.

SAR GEOPROCESSING TOOLS