Shell SAR R&D Studyfor ice operations

Kim Partington, Polar Imaging

Paul Verlaan, Shell

Background to Study

• Shell is nearing completion of its first season of custom ice monitoring in Alaska

• We are entering an era of more choice for satellite SAR sensors

• Good time to review SAR data strategy

Need to replace RADARSAT-1

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

RADARSAT-1

2007 ops 2008 ops 2009 ops

Available SAR sensors

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

RADARSAT-2

COSMO-SKYMED-1

TERRASAR-X

RISAT

COSMO-SKYMED-2

COSMO-SKYMED-3

COSMO-SKYMED-4

RADARSAT-1

ENVISAT

X band

C band

L bandALOS

Objectives

• To make recommendations to Shell with regard to their 2008 SAR planning for ice operations

• To consider both:– Imaging capabilities of new SAR sensors– Fit of different sensors to Shell operational

requirements

Traditional SAR issues that can now be addressed..

• Limited backup and redundancy

• Sub-optimal revisit

• Imaging ambiguities

• Operational issues– Ordering lead time– Price

• Consider more than one SAR

• Use more than one polarisation (/frequency?)

• Capabilities are improving, not sure about price!

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Various options…

Dual Polarisation ScanSAR

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

RADARSAT-2

RISAT

X band

C band

L band

Credit NASA JPL

X band ScanSAR

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

X band

C band

L band

COSMO-SKYMED

Sub-daily revisit

Plus others..

• ALOS L band ScanSAR

• Global mode?• Finer resolution

polarimetric mode for occasional detailed operations?

• Complementary combinations of the afore-mentioned

Credit Vexcel UK and ESA

Study Plan

Shell R&D study: areas

• Camden Bay– Shell operations– Potential validation from

operations– Custom ice charting

• Circumpolar Flaw Lead study area– Scientific campaign coordinated

by University of Manitoba– Ship and airborne observations– Potential links to CIS validation

plans for RADARSAT-2

Shell R&D Study: Data Collection

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

TERRASAR-X

RISAT

RADARSAT-1

ENVISAT

X band

C band

L bandALOS

RADARSAT-2

COSMO-SKYMED

R&D study data

Operational data

Shell R&D study: data plan

7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Nov 28 Nov

TerraSAR-X Stripmap

Cosmo-Skymed ScanSAR HH

ALOS ScanSAR HH

ENVISAT AP mode

24 Oct 31 Oct 7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Nov 28 Nov

24 Oct 31 Oct 7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Nov 28 Nov

TerraSAR-X Stripmap

Cosmo-Skymed ScanSAR HH

ALOS ScanSAR HH

ENVISAT AP mode

Circumpolar Flaw Lead (CFL) Study areaCamden Bay

Study Outcome• Provide a report in March 2008

in time for 2008 planning covering:– Imaging benefits of the different

sensors– Operational strengths and

weaknesses of the different sensors

– Acquisition plan strategies• Include:

– X band vs C band vs L band– Dual pol vs single pol– Focus on freeze-up conditions

including young ice

Conclusions

• We are now entering a new era for SAR remote sensing

• Much improved potential for ice monitoring• But needs work to realise potential• Shell is investigating what can be done for ice

monitoring in time for the 2008 season• Any changes to default plan will depend on cost

and operational performance as well as technical capabilities of different sensors

• Interested to talk to others with interests in comparison of the different SAR sensors

Thank-you!