CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - C-Band SAR -
Full Name C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar Status Operational
Instrument Agencies ESA Maturity
Instrument Type Imaging microwave radars Geometry Side-looking
Instrument Technology Imaging radar (SAR) Sampling Imaging
Data Access Open Access Data Format
Measurements and Applications Marine core services, land monitoring and emergency services. Monitoring sea ice zones and arctic environment. Surveillance of marine environment, monitoring land surface motion risks, mapping of land surfaces (forest, water and soil, agriculture), mapping in support of humanitarian aid in crisis situations.
Resolution Summary Strip mode: 9 m, Interferometric wide swath mode: 20 m, extra-wide swath mode: 50 m, wave mode: 50 m
[Best Resolution: 9m]
Swath Summary Strip mode: 80 km; Interferometric wide swath mode: 250 km, extra-wide swath mode: 400 km, Wave mode: sampled images of 20 x 20 km at 100 km intervals
[Max Swath: 400 km]
Accuracy Summary NESZ: -22 dB; PTAR: -25 dB; DTAR: -22 dB; Radiometric accuracy 1 dB (3 sigma); Radiometric stability: 0.5 dB (3 sigma)
Waveband Summary C-band: 5.405 GHz; HH, VV, HH+HV, VV+VH; Incidence angle: 20-45
MW (~0.1 cm - ~100 cm)
C-Band (8 - 4 GHz)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Landscape topographyLand surface topography
Multi-purpose imagery (land)Land surface imagery
Multi-purpose imagery (ocean)Ocean imagery and water leaving spectral radiance
Ocean surface windsWind speed over sea surface (horizontal)
Wind vector over sea surface (horizontal)
Ocean topography/currentsOcean surface currents (vector)
Bathymetry
Ocean wave height and spectrumSignificant wave height
Dominant wave period
Dominant wave direction
Sea ice cover, edge and thicknessSea-ice cover
Sea-ice type
Iceberg fractional cover
Snow cover, edge and depthSnow cover
Soil moistureSoil moisture at the surface
VegetationVegetation type
Above Ground Biomass (AGB)
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Above-ground biomass click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Ocean Colour click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Sea Ice click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Sea State click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Snow click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Soil Moisture click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Surface Currents click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
Sentinel-1 A - Sentinel-1 A (2014 - 2025)
Sentinel-1 B - Sentinel-1 B (2016 - 2022)
Sentinel-1 C - Sentinel-1 C (2024 - 2034)
Sentinel-1 D - Sentinel-1 D (2025 - 2035)
S1NG-A - Sentinel-1 Next Generation A (2032 - 2040)
S1NG-B - Sentinel-1 Next Generation B (2034 - 2042)