E-SAR, “Experimental-SAR”, is an airborne imaging radar (Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensor operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Microwaves and Radar Institute (HR) from 1988 until November 2009. It was operated on a Dornier Do-228 aircraft from altitudes of 2000 to 6000 m above ground in four different center frequency bands (X,C,L,P). Different center frequencies were operated sequentially in different overflights. Data were acquired either in one-channel, two-channel or four-channel mode in HH, HV, VV and/or VH polarization. Fully polarimetric data are available in L- and P-band only. Repeat-pass interferometry is available in L- and P-band. Single-pass interferometry is available in X-band only, in along- and across-track antenna configuration. Data are processed up to two different levels: RGI (Radar Geometry Image product) and GTC (Geocoded and Terrain-Corrected product). Resolutions range from 25 cm (X-band) to 1.5 m (P-band) in azimuth direction and from 1.8 m (X-band) to 3 m (P-band) in range direction. Data acquisition modes are “stripmap”, “repeat-pass” (two parallel tracks) or “tomography” (several parallel tracks).

For more information concerning E-SAR data, the reader is referred to: www.dlr.de/hr/e-sar