Current measurements in European coastal waters and rivers by along-track InSAR

Abstract

The Along-Track Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (Along-Track InSAR, ATI) technique permits a direct high-resolution imaging of ocean surface current fields from aircraft and satellites. With several airborne ATI experiments and a first demonstration of current measurements from space with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in February 2000, European scientists have built up a leading expertise in this field. The German satellite TerraSAR-X, which was launched on June 15, 2007, will be the first to offer ATI capabilities during a longer period. We give an overview of ATI fundamentals, SRTM results, predicted ATI capabilities of TerraSAR-X, the potential for further improvements, and promising applications in coastal waters and rivers. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.