IPY STG SAR Workshop Day 1 Summary

1. IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary • GIIPSY thematic science objectives presented along with a strawman acquisition strategy • Agency representatives from ESA, DLR, CSA, NASA, reviewed IPY activities, capabilities and constraints. ASF provided information on behalf of JAXA. • Ice Service operational requirements were reviewed

2. IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary • Comparison of thematic objectives and agency activities showed: • Substantial L and C-band SAR imagery being acquired over Antarctica. • Substantial C-band data for InSAR is being acquired over Greenland, Antarctica, Iceland, Svalbard, Arctic ice caps. X-band coverage for topography and velocity is beginning. InSAR and image data gaps in the Antarctic ‘pole hole’ • Extensive C-band SAR image data of Arctic and Antarctic Ice covered waters. Routine, robust, 3-6 days repeat cycle image acquisitions are not systematically acquired over the entire Arctic basin.

3. IPY STG SAR WorkshopDay 1 Summary Cont • Seasonal snow cover at high latitudes yet to be addressed in a comprehensive fashion – over supersites. X-Band contribution? • C-band data for permafrost mapping likely to result from Envisat and R1 acquisition plans. Suggest a F1 acquisition mission complementary to the F1 coverage collected during the CIM – How about permafrost in Europe and Russia? How do you map permafrost change – support to science can be provided by space agencies • Limited lake and river freeze up R1 data acquired by Canadian Ice Service – how can we expand?

4. IPY STG SAR WorkshopData Gaps • Coordinated Envisat/ERS/R1/TerraSAR observations could greatly increase Antarctic Insar coverage for ice sheet velocity from coast to pole. • Complementary R1 and Envisat acquisitions could improve distribution of sea ice observations suitable for ice motion measurement. • Reduced ground station support is a near term risk to IPY science community and sea ice operational communities • L-band and RSAT1 coverage of Greenland and the Arctic Basin must be negotiated • Large scale systematic X-band coverage of ice sheets and sea ice should be encouraged through a DLR IPY coordinated proposal.

5. IPY STG SAR WorkshopAction Items Day 1 • Action Item 1: Request systematic ALOS coverage of Greenland (InSAR) and the Arctic basin. Request that JAXA continue polar observations beyond the conclusion of IPY as their capabilites and mandate permit. (KJ) • Provide similar refinement of acquisition plan to other space agencies (RK, IJ, KJ) • Action Item 2: Request CSA and NASA to explore near term (1 month) approaches for using R-1 during the IPY to cover areas of the Arctic where there are Envisat data gaps. • STG SAR coordination group to formulate a letter to be submitted to CSA, NASA external relations and MDA to avoid planning and data reception gap for RSAT 1 over both polar regions during IPY • Action Item 3: Submit recommendation for R2 background mission and Government Allocation acquisition complementary to existing archive for IPY and which supplement gaps in other existing systems and archival data sets (science community + YC, RSJ, GR, KW) • Action Item 4: Investigate possibilities for ENVISAT reception over Chukchi sea for IPY – Follow-on on discussions between ESA, ASF and KSAT for the reception during IPY • Action Item5: For the science community – to develop and submit a proposal to DLR for IPY related data acquisition

6. IPY STG SAR WorkshopPossible Approach for today • Select 3-4 objectives that • Solve important, large scale science problem • Fills a gap in planned IPY coverage • Involves interagency collaboration • Agree on a list of recommendations to be submitted to STG3 for implementation

7. Arctic Sea Ice Observations • Construct a C-Band coverage (3-day snapshots) for the Arctic ocean during the remaining of IPY (background missions, operation data acquisitions, etc.) • Coordinate between CSA and ESA Mission Management desks to elaborate a plan within the constraints (RSJ, HL, DL) • Provide science requirements (RK)

8. Antarctic Surface Velocity • Winter Pole to Coast InSAR coverage of the Antarctic in high-res mode (3-4 consecutive cycles in asc and desc) • Use the coverage of the Continental Margin already planned by ESA (slide 18) • RSAT2 background mission (Left looking) (KJ, IJ, GR, RSJ) • Pole hole mapping with Terrasar (KJ, IJ, DF) • 3-4 cycles of L-Band PALSAR • Provide science requirements (KJ, IJ)

9. Arctic Glaciers, Ice Caps and Sheets • Greenland and Major Canadian Icefields of InSAR acquisition over 3-4 consecutive cycles of high-res in winter • Large-scale synoptic acquisition plan to be assessed by ESA and CSA for C-Band • Suggesting improved L-Band coverage • Fast moving glaciers – showed in CNES presentation – suggested coverage by Terrasar (DF) • Provide science requirements (IJ)

10. Science Super Sites • Science community to identify supersites (look at what exist already) and determine acquisition parameters (frequency, resolution, etc.) for multi-pol and polarimetry data collection – for Jaxa, DLR and CSA to look at the possibility to program data acquisition • Sea ice, snow water equivalent, glacier facies, permafrost

11. Day 2 Action Item • STG SAR coordination group to submit a letter to CSA, NASA, and MDA senior External Relations managers to ensure RSAT1 availability and avoid receptions gaps over the polar regions