Spaceborne imaging radar-C/X-band synthetic aperture radar (SIR-C/X-SAR): a look back on the tenth anniversary

Abstract

The spaceborne imaging radar-C, X-band synthetic aperture radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) missions have resulted in important scientific discoveries and provided new insights into Earth system processes. Analyses of SIR-C/X-SAR engineering-mode data have also led to new measurement and mission concepts. The multifrequency, multipolarisation capability provided by SIR-C/X-SAR is unsurpassed from a spaceborne system, making the data set valuable for algorithm development and assessment of optimal imaging parameters more than a decade after the missions were flown.