Measurements and Applications
All-weather images of ocean, ice and land surfaces. Used for monitoring of coastal zones, polar ice, sea ice, sea state, geological features, vegetation and land surface processes.
Full Name
Synthetic Aperture Radar (CSA) C band
Status
No longer operational
Instrument Agencies
Maturity
High Heritage - Operational
Instrument Type
Imaging microwave radars 
Geometry
Side-looking
Instrument Technology
Imaging radar (SAR)
Sampling
Imaging
Data Access
Constrained Access
Data Format
CEOS
Resolution
Nominal resolutions: Standard: 30 m (4 looks); Wide: 30 m (4 looks); Fine: 8 m (1 look); ScanSAR (N/W): 50 m / 100 m (4/8 looks); Extended (H/L): 18 - 27 m / 30 m (4/4 looks).
[Best Resolution: 8m]
Swath
Standard: 100 km (inc.: 20 - 49 deg); Wide: 150 km (inc.: 20 - 45 deg), Fine: 45 km (inc.: 37 - 47 deg); ScanSAR (N/W): 300/500 km (inc.: 20 - 49 deg); Extended (H/L): 75/170 km (inc.: 52 - 58 / 10 - 22 deg).
[Max Swath: 500 km]
Accuracy
Geometric distortion: < 40 m Relative Radiometric Accuracy (within a 100km scene): <1 dB
Waveband
Microwave: C band 5.3 GHz, HH polarization.
| MW (~0.1 cm - ~100 cm) |
| C-Band (8 - 4 GHz) |
Compiled from the 2026 Extended Parameters Survey, agency-nominated technical contacts and published user guides; not yet collected through the annual CEOS MIM survey.
Look Direction
Right (nominal Right)
Source
2026 Extended Parameters Survey (CSA, 2026-08-05)
Compiled from the 2026 Extended Parameters Survey, agency-nominated technical contacts and published user guides; not yet collected through the annual CEOS MIM survey.
| Mode | Resolution az × rg (m) | Swath (km) | Incidence (°) | Polarisation | NESZ (dB) |
|---|
| Fine - 1 F1 | 8.4 × 8.3 | 45 | 37–41 | HH | -22 |
| Fine - 2 F2 | 8.4 × 7.6 | 45 | 39–42 | HH | -22 |
| Fine - 3 F3 | 8.4 × 7.9 | 45 | 41–44 | HH | -22 |
| Fine - 4 F4 | 8.4 × 7.3 | 45 | 43–46 | HH | -22 |
| Fine - 5 F5 | 8.4 × 7.1 | 45 | 45–47 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 1 S1 | 27 × 24 | 100 | 24–31 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 2 S2 | 27 × 20 | 100 | 30–37 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 3 S3 | 27 × 25 | 100 | 34–40 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 4 S4 | 27 × 23 | 100 | 36–42 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 5 S5 | 27 × 22 | 100 | 41–46 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 6 S6 | 27 × 20 | 100 | 45–49 | HH | -22 |
| Standard - 7 S7 | 27 × 19 | 100 | 39–42 | HH | -22 |
| Wide - 1 W1 | 27 × 33 | 150 | 20–31 | HH | -22 |
| Wide - 2 W2 | 27 × 25 | 150 | 31–39 | HH | -22 |
| Wide - 3 W3 | 27 × 21 | 150 | 39–45 | HH | -22 |
| ScanSAR Narrow A SNA W1 + W2 | 50 × 50 | 300 | 20–39 | HH | -22 |
| ScanSAR Narrow B SNB W2 + S5 + S6 | 50 × 50 | 300 | 31–46 | HH | -22 |
| ScanSAR Wide A SWA W1 + W2 + W3 + S7 | 100 × 100 | 500 | 20–49 | HH | -22 |
| ScanSAR Wide B SWB W1 + W2 + S5 + S6 | 100 × 100 | 450 | 20–46 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 1 EH1 | 27 × 18 | 75 | 49–52 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 2 EH2 | 27 × 18 | 75 | 50–53 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 3 EH3 | 27 × 17 | 75 | 52–55 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 4 EH4 | 27 × 17 | 75 | 54–57 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 5 EH5 | 27 × 16 | 75 | 56–58 | HH | -22 |
| Extended High - 6 EH6 | 27 × 16 | 75 | 57–60 | HH | -22 |
| Extended Low EL | 27 × 39 | 170 | 10–23 | HH | -22 |