Preparation for the operational use of RADARSAT-2 for ice monitoring

Sea ice monitoring has been the most successful real-time operational application for RADARSAT-1 data. These data are used by several national ice services as a mainstay of their programs. Thus, the international sea ice community is looking forward to the future launch of RADARSAT-2. The RADARSAT-2 end-to-end system promises several technical enhancements beyond RADARSAT-1. These include multipolar/polarimetric data, improved data handling and processing and throughput, and a more streamlined ordering system. Ice versus water discrimination, sensitivity to surface topography and ridging, and enhanced iceberg detection capabilities are some of the improvements expected to result from the availability of like- and cross-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. Beyond purely the information content, numerous challenges remain before the various improvements of the RADARSAT-2 system can be exploited operationally. Among these are handling the increased data volumes of multichannel data; developing new data display, visualization, and analysis techniques; operational scenarios and potential use of left- and right-looking to improve spatio-temporal coverage; improved order handling and satellite tasking; and acquisition planning and integration with other spaceborne SAR data (i.e., Envisat). In this paper we report on efforts underway at the Canadian, American, and Danish national ice services to address these elements necessary to be ready for the best operational use of RADARSAT-2 data.