The ENVISAT Burst Mode Echoes - A New Look From Satellite Radar Altimetry
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the series of radar altimeter missions flown has gathered a huge amount of useful data over the earth's land surfaces. However, the onboard averaging applied to the individual echoes prior to transmitting these data to ground has severely restricted the measurement of high frequency changes in the underlying surface. The ability of the Envisat RA-2 to store and transmit the individual echoes has given a first glimpse into the full potential of satellite radar altimetry and this paper presents results from retracking these unique echoes. The unexpectedly low noise in these data allows the echoes to be utilised with minimal averaging, whilst the ability of the RA-2 to maintain lock even over mountainous terrain by dynamically adapting the range window is generating a huge database of burst echoes over all terrain types.
- Publication:
-
ESA Special Publication
- Pub Date:
- July 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006ESASP.614E..74B