Long name | RADARSAT-2 |
Short name | RS2 |
Sensor type | Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) |
Platform | RADARSAT-2 |
Frequency | 5.405 GHz |
Band (wavelength) | C (5.5 cm) |
Polarization | HH, HV, VH, VV (fully polarimetric) |
Key file name (use to open data set) | product.xml or RS2_*.ntf |
Supported file extensions | N/A |
Data distributor | MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) |
Sections | Data product name and description |
Data product name and description
The acquisition modes of the RADARSAT-2 sensor are as described in the following tables.
Mode | Swath width (km) | Resolution (range x azimuth, m)* | Polarization | Description/notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spotlight [SLA] | 18 | 1.6 x 0.8 | Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) | The Spotlight imaging mode focuses 19 beams at various angles of incidence, ranging from [SLA70] (19.9° to 21.5°) to [SLA9] (36.4° to 37.6°). |
Ultra-Fine [U] | 20 | 1.6 x 2.8 | Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) | The Stripmap submode Ultra-Fine is intended for applications that require very high spatial resolution. Ultra-Fine focuses 27 beams at various angles of incidence, ranging from [U70] (19.9° to 21.5°) to [U17] (42.2° to 43.3°). |
Multi-Look Fine [MF] | 50 | 3.1 x 4.6 | Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) | The Stripmap submode Multi-Look Fine covers the same swaths as the Fine [F] submode. Products with multiple looks in range and azimuth are generated approximately at the same spatial resolution as Fine products, but with multiple looks and, therefore, improved radiometric resolution.
Multi-Look Fine focuses 26 beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [MF23] (30.0° to 33.4°) to [MF6F] (47.5° to 49.9°). |
Fine [F] | 50 | 5.2 x 7.7 |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
The Stripmap submode Fine is intended for applications that require finer spatial resolution than the Standard [S] submode.
Fine focuses 26 beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [FQ1] (18.4° to 20.4°) to [FQ31] (48.3° to 49.4°). |
Fine Quad-Pol [FQ] | 25 | 5.2 x 7.6 | Quad (HH + HV + VV + VH) | Fine Quad provides full polarimetric imaging with the same spatial resolution as the Fine submode, but at the expense of the swath width.
Fine Quad focuses 31 beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [FQ1] (18.4° to 20.4°) to [FQ31] (48.3° to 49.4°). |
Standard [S] | 100 |
9.0 x 7.7 |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
The Stripmap submode Standard provides a balance between fine resolution and wide coverage, and between spatial and radiometric resolutions.
Standard focuses eight beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [S1] (20.0° to 27.2°) to [S8] (48.5° to 52.1°). |
Standard Quad-Pol [SQ] | 25 |
9.0 x 7.6 |
Quad (HH + HV + VV + VH) | The Stripmap submode Standard Quad-Pol provides full polarimetric imaging with the same spatial resolution as Standard, but at the expense of the swath width.
Standard Quad-Pol focuses 31 beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [SQ1] (18.4° to 20.4°) to [SQ31] (48.3° to 49.4°). |
Wide [W] | 150 | 13.5 x 7.7 |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
The Stripmap submode Standard Quad-Pol provides imaging of wider swaths than Standard, but at the expense of slightly coarser spatial resolution in some cases.
Wide focuses three beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [W1] (20.0° to 31.9°) to [W3] (38.7° to 45.3°). |
Extended High [EH] | 75 | 13.5 x 7.7 | Single (HH) | The Stripmap submode Extended High focuses six beams at various angles of incidence ranging from [EH1] (48.5° to 52.1°) to [EH6] (56.8° to 59.3°).
Because the beams operate outside the optimum scan-angle range of the SAR antenna, some degradation of image quality can be expected in comparison with Standard. |
Extended Low [EL] | 170 | 9.0 x 7.7 | Single (HH) | The Stripmap submode Extended Low is a single low-incidence beam [EL1] (10.0° to 23.1°).
Because the beam operates outside the optimum scan-angle range of the SAR antenna, some degradation of image quality can be expected in comparison with Standard. |
ScanSAR Narrow [SCN] | 300 | 81 to 38 x 40 to 70 |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
ScanSAR Narrow provides coverage of a ground swath approximately double the width of Wide [W]. There can be two swath positions using various combinations of physical beams:
|
ScanSAR Wide [SCW] | 500 | 163 to 73 x 78 to 106 |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
ScanSAR Narrow provides coverage of a ground swath approximately triple the width of Wide [W]. There can be two swath positions using various combinations of physical beams:
|
Ocean Surveillance [OSVN] | 500 | 118 to 53 x 53 to 104 (SCF) |
Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) |
Ocean Surveillance ScanSAR Beam Mode provides images of very wide swaths similar to ScanSAR Wide, but with finer resolution and improved ship-detection performance similar to ScanSAR Narrow. |
Ship Detection [DVWF] | 450 | 103 to 71 x 40 to 81 (SCF) | Single (HH or HV or VH or VV) | Ship Detection ScanSAR Beam Mode provides images of very wide swaths similar to ScanSAR Wide, but is designed primarily for ship-detection purposes. The mode uses the highest data-compression ratios, so it has the highest signal-dependent noise levels, and is designed to sacrifice visual appeal to provide the most effective detection of small ships over very wide areas. |
* Resolution is always single-look complex (SLC) unless noted otherwise.
Each acquisition mode is described in the following table.
Processing level | Acquisition mode | Description/notes |
---|---|---|
Single-look complex (SLC) |
[SLA] |
Complex data. Slant-range geometry. Georeferenced.
Each image pixel is represented by a complex (real I and imaginary Q) magnitude value. No interpolation into ground-range coordinates is performed during processing for SLC image products; therefore, the range coordinate is given in radar slant range rather than ground range. |
SAR georeferenced extra (SGX) | [SLA] |
Detected (magnitude) data. Ground-range geometry. Georeferenced (path image plus).
SGX products have very fine pixel spacing that is chosen to meet the Nyquist criterion in all areas of the image, which ensures that all of the image information is preserved and makes the imagery suitable for post-processing. |
SAR georeferenced fine (SGF) | [SLA] |
Detected (magnitude) data. Ground-range geometry. Georeferenced (path image).
SGF images are the same as SGX except in pixel spacing. SGF images are generated with standard ground-coordinate pixel dimensions, which are generally larger than those of the corresponding SGX images. SGF images are therefore appropriate for applications in which the reduction in product volume is important, and where full precision is not needed. |
ScanSAR narrow beam (SCN) | [SCN] | Detected (magnitude) data. Ground-range geometry. Georeferenced (path image).
SCN is a conceptual ground-range coordinate, multi-look image that (for historical reasons) is used to refer to SGF images produced from data obtained in the ScanSAR narrow-beam mode, by using either two or three physical beams. |
ScanSAR wide beam (SCW) | [SCW] | Detected (magnitude) data. Ground-range geometry. Georeferenced (path image).
SCW is a ground-range coordinate, multi-look image that (for historical reasons) is used to refer to SGF products produced from data obtained in ScanSAR Wide Beam Mode using four physical beams. |
ScanSAR fine (SCF) |
[SCN] [SCW] [OSVN] [DVWF] | Detected (magnitude) data. Ground-range geometry. Georeferenced (path image).
With the standard ScanSAR beam modes (ScanSAR narrow and ScanSAR wide), SCF and SCS are similar to SCN or SCW (as applicable to the beam mode), except that each supports additional processing options and metadata fields (SCN and SCW products provide backwards compatibility with existing processes and applications). |
SAR systematic geocorrected (SSG) | [SLA] |
Detected (magnitude) data. Systematic geocoded (map image).
An SSG product is generated by geocorrection of a single-beam or spotlight product. The geocorrection process for SSG products does not include the use of ground control points (GCP). Geocorrection can include either orthorectification using a DEM or can be based on a fixed elevation above a reference ellipsoid, which you can specify. |
SAR precision geocorrected (SPG) | [SLA] |
Detected (magnitude) data. Precision geocoded (precision map image).
SPG is similar to SSG, except that SPG is geocorrected by using precise GCPs. |
File name | Format | Required | Contents/details |
---|---|---|---|
RS2_*.ntf | NITF 2.1 | Yes | Key file name.
Contains all imagery and metadata that applies to the data set. |
File name | Format | Required | Contents/details |
---|---|---|---|
product.xml | Extensible Markup Language | Yes | Key file name.
Contains metadata that applies to the data set. |
imagery_n.tif | GeoTIFF | Yes | Image data, one file for each polarization channel, where n represents HH or HV or VH or VV, as applicable. |
BrowseImage.tif | TIFF | No | Image browse file in TIFF format. |
lutSigma.xml | Extensible Markup Language | Yes, for all products except SSG and SPG | LUT to transform raster values to sigma-nought (sigma0) values. |
lutBeta.xml | Extensible Markup Language | Yes, for all products except SSG and SPG | LUT to transform raster values to beta-nought (sigma0) values. |
lutGamma.xml | Extensible Markup Language | Yes, for all products except SSG and SPG | LUT to transform raster values to gamma-nought (sigma0) values. |
RS2_EULA_*.pdf | Portable Document Format | No | Product end-user license agreement (EULA). |
Readme.txt | ASCII | No | Readme file. |
label.txt | ASCII | No | Label file. |
Returned data for supported format
RADARSAT-2 data can be opened directly in its raw vendor format or imported into a PCIDSK (*.pix) file by using the key file. For optimal processing, use the PCIDSK format.
In the following table, the data structure after it is imported into a PCIDSK file is described.
Data product | Data returned | Details |
---|---|---|
Single-look complex (SLC) |
1 x [C16S] raster channel (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought. |
Single-look complex (SLC) |
2 x [C16S] raster channels (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought. |
Single-look complex (SLC) |
4 x [C16S] raster channels (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought. |
• (SGX), (SGF) |
1 x [16U] raster channel (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought. |
• (SGX), (SGF) |
2 x [16U] raster channels (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought. |
(SGX) |
4 x [16U] raster channels (uncalibrated) |
Data can be calibrated in sigma, beta, or gamma nought.
Quad-polarization data is not distributed in SGF. To conduct a polarimetric analysis, you must have SLC data. |
RADARSAT-2 Product Description. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. RN-SP-52-1238. Issue 1/13: March 21, 2016.
RADARSAT-2 NITF 2.1 Product Format Definition. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. RN-SP-52-8207. Issue 2/1: May 22, 2015.
RADARSAT-2 Product Format Definition. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., , RN-RP-51-2713, Issue 1/5. November 24, 2003.
For more information, go to: mdacorporation.com
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