Source and Scope
Source workbook: docs/src/sar_acquisition_modes_tables.xlsx.
Each section below corresponds to one worksheet in the workbook.
README
| SAR acquisition modes: resolution and polarization overview (public specs) |
|---|
| Interpretation |
| • Sentinel-1: spatial resolution values are single-look and typically given as range × azimuth (for SLC/GRD characteristics). |
| • NISAR: spatial resolution values are stated as ~7 m along-track (azimuth) and a slant-range range that depends on bandwidth/mode; table is from NASA Earthdata NISAR platform page. |
| • BIOMASS: SLC (single-look complex) resolution is from ESA BIOMASS seminar deck; an alternative published number (8.3 m azimuth, 59 m in-ground range) is from a peer-reviewed BIOMASS processor paper. |
| • TerraSAR-X: resolution values correspond to Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) products as stated in the Airbus TerraSAR-X Image Product Guide; ground-range resolution depends on incidence angle. |
| • Always verify the exact product (SLC/GRD/SSC/GSLC etc.) and any multilooking/resampling used in your processing chain before comparing sensors. |
Sentinel-1
| Notes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copernicus Sentinel-1 is a C-band SAR mission. This table summarizes acquisition modes and polarization options as described by SentiWiki. | ||||||
| Mode | Typical use / coverage | Swath / vignette | Nominal spatial resolution (single look) | Polarizations available | Notes | Source |
| SM (Stripmap) | Small areas; special requests / emergencies | 80 km swath | slightly better than 5 m × 5 m | Single: HH or VV; Dual: HH+HV or VV+VH | Six overlapping swaths cover a range of 375 km (beam set). | https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s1-mission |
| IW (Interferometric Wide Swath) | Primary land mode | 250 km swath (3 sub-swaths; TOPSAR) | 5 m × 20 m | Single: HH or VV; Dual: HH+HV or VV+VH | TOPSAR burst mode (3 sub-swaths). | https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s1-mission |
| EW (Extra-Wide Swath) | Sea-ice/polar/maritime | 400 km swath (410 km in table; 5 sub-swaths; TOPSAR) | 20 m × 40 m | Single: HH or VV; Dual: HH+HV or VV+VH | EW SLC contains one image per sub-swath per polarization channel. | https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s1-mission |
| WV (Wave) | Open-ocean vignettes | 20 km × 20 km vignettes every 100 km along-track | 5 m × 5 m | Single only: HH or VV | Vignettes alternate between two incidence angle ranges. | https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s1-mission |
NISAR
| Notes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Values are taken from the NASA Earthdata NISAR platform parameter table (resolution is given as azimuth and slant-range). | |||||||
| Band | Frequency (nominal) | Swath width | Spatial resolution (as documented) | Available range bandwidths | Available polarimetric modes | Notes | Source |
| S-band (S-SAR) | 3.2 GHz ± 37.5 MHz | >240 km (except QQP mode) | 7 m (azimuth); 3–24 m (slant-range) | 10, 25, 37.5, 75 MHz | SP: HH or VV; DP: HH/HV or VV/VH; CP: RH/RV; QQP: HH/HV and VH/VV | Resolution depends on mode/bandwidth; values are platform-spec summary. | https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/platforms/space-based-platforms/nisar |
| L-band (L-SAR) | 1.257 GHz ± 40 MHz | >240 km (except 80 MHz BW) | 7 m (azimuth); 3–48 m (slant-range) | 5, 20, 40, 80 MHz (plus additional 5 MHz iono band for 20 & 40 MHz modes) | SP: HH or VV; DP: HH/HV or VV/VH; CP: RH/RV; QP: HH/HV/VH/VV | NISAR is dual-frequency (L + S), not L-only. | https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/platforms/space-based-platforms/nisar |
BIOMASS
| Notes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution numbers differ by definition (slant-range vs ground-range) and by whether they refer to SLC or multi-look/derived products; sources are listed in the last column. | ||||||||
| Acquisition / instrument | Band | Swath width | SLC spatial resolution (range × azimuth) | Other published Level-1 SLC resolution (ground-range × azimuth) | Example derived product resolution | Polarizations | Notes | Sources |
| Stripmap acquisitions supporting PolSAR/PolInSAR/TomoSAR stacks | P-band (mission operates at ~465 MHz in one reference; ~435 MHz in another) | ~50 km (single swath) | ~59 m × 8 m (SLC) | ≈59 m in-ground range and ≈8.3 m azimuth (also notes 25 m slant-range at 6 MHz, 25° incidence) | 50×50 m² product based on ~6 equivalent number of looks (ENL); Level-2 AGB/FH maps at 200 m; disturbance at 50 m | Full polarimetric (HH, HV, VH, VV) | BIOMASS is a P-band, fully polarimetric mission with systematic repeat-pass acquisitions. Products and acquisition strategy are often described in terms of mission phases (tomographic phase, then interferometric phase), rather than multiple beam modes. | https://eebiomass.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20250327-EEBiomass-Seminar-reduced.pdf https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/159054/1/banda_L2_processor_RS_2020.pdf https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/The_satellite |
TerraSAR-X
| Notes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution values correspond to SSC (Single Look Slant Range Complex) products as stated in the TerraSAR-X Image Product Guide; ground-range resolution depends on incidence angle. | |||||||
| Mode | Standard scene size (km, width × length) | Max acquisition length (km) | Slant-range resolution (m) | Azimuth resolution (m) | Polarization | Incidence angle range | Source |
| Staring SpotLight (ST) | 4 × 3.7 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.24 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 45° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| HighRes SpotLight 300 MHz (HS300) | 10 × 5 | 5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 55° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| HighRes SpotLight (HS) - single pol | 10 × 5 | 5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 55° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| HighRes SpotLight (HS) - dual pol | 10 × 5 | 5 | 1.2 | 2.2 | Dual (HH & VV) | 20° to 55° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| SpotLight (SL) - single pol | 10 × 10 | 10 | 1.2 | 1.7 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 55° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| SpotLight (SL) - dual pol | 10 × 10 | 10 | 1.2 | 3.4 | Dual (HH & VV) | 20° to 55° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| StripMap (SM) - single pol | 30 × 50 | 1,650 | 1.2 | 3.3 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 45° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| StripMap (SM) - dual pol | 15 × 50 | 1,650 | 1.2 | 6.6 | Dual (HH & VV, HH & HV, or VV & VH) | 20° to 45° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| ScanSAR (SC) | 100 × 150 | 1,650 | 1.2 (at 150 MHz) | 18.5 | Single (VV or HH) | 20° to 45° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |
| Wide ScanSAR (WS) | 270 × 200 | 1,500 | 1.7–3.3 (depends on range bandwidth) | 40 | Single (VV, HH, HV or VH) | 15.6° to 49° | https://www.engesat.com.br/wp-content/uploads/r459_9_201408_tsxx-itd-ma-0009_tsx-productguide_i2.00.pdf |