RAMP AMM-1 SAR Image Mosaic of Antarctica, Version 2
Data set id:
NSIDC-0103
DOI: 10.5067/8AF4ZRPULS4H
This is the most recent version of these data.
Version Summary
A number of image processing problems were fixed in V2. V2 data benefits from the following error corrections and other updates. RAMS software was modified to address the antenna pattern banding problem, which resulted in blocks with bright centers and dark edges. This banding effect is greatly reduced in V2, although faint banding caused by drops in sigma-naught with decreasing incidence angle remains. ASF provided corrected noise floor vector data to reduce noise in low-backscatter areas. Ghosting (an effect of side-lobe detection of bright features) was only a minor problem in the V1 mosaic and was further reduced in V2. When the main antenna lobe is imaging very low-backscatter targets, it is possible that bright targets passing beneath a side-lobe of the antenna will scatter enough energy back toward the antenna to be detected and mapped erroneously at the location the main lobe was viewing. As a result, bright coastal features can appear as ghost images in regions of very dark snow near the South Pole. V2 of the RAMP DEM was used in processing the V2 mosaic. Swath data were reprojected onto the new DEM surface, improving the georegistration of the mosaic. Shadow and layover problems were addressed by covering all mountainous areas with ST7 data. ST7 data are radiometrically much darker then the ST2 data used for most of the mosaic, so their use resulted in a few radiometric artifacts. As with V2 of the RAMP DEM, V2 of the RAMP mosaic extends farther over the sea ice surrounding Antarctica. The effects of Automatic Gain Control (AGC) used in initial data gathering by the satellite remain in the V2 images. In collecting the data, a region of each swath is sampled for intensity so that the gain of the processed data may be set optimally for increased contrast over the surface to be imaged. The section of the swath is processed with gains that are not optimal for the ice sheet mosaic. The affected regions of the ice sheet show up as slightly darker blocks or corners within the mosaic.

Overview

The mosaic provides a detailed look at ice sheet morphology, rock outcrops, research infrastructure, the coastline, and other features of Antarctica, as well as representing calibrated radar backscatter data, which may provide insight into climate processes affecting the upper few meters of snow cover.
Parameter(s):
GLACIERS
ICE SHEETS
RADAR BACKSCATTER
RADAR IMAGERY
RADAR REFLECTIVITY
SIGMA NAUGHT
Platform(s):
RADARSAT-1
Sensor(s):
SAR
Data Format(s):
Binary
GeoTIFF
Temporal Coverage:
  • 1 September 1997 to 31 October 1997
Temporal Resolution:
Not Specified
Spatial Resolution:
  • Not Specified
Spatial Reference System(s):
Not Specified
Spatial Coverage:
  • Northern latitude
    -60
    Southern latitude
    -90
    Eastern longitude
    180
    Western longitude
    -180
Blue outlined yellow areas on the map below indicate the spatial coverage for this data set.

Data Access & Tools

Help Articles

General Questions & FAQs

A variety of features can be detected in the RAMP image mosaic. SAR data allow ready discrimination between areas of high snow accumulation, crevassed regions, and areas susceptible to seasonal melt.

How to Articles

Data from the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center (NSIDC DAAC) can be accessed directly from our HTTPS file system. We provide basic command line Wget and curl instructions for HTTPS file system downloads below.