McMurdo SAR Facility: Report of The Ad Hoc Science Working Team

• Other Authors: Jezek, K. C., Carsey, F. D.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center, The Ohio State University. 1991
• Subjects: McMurdo SAR Facility; Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data; Antarctic; McMurdo Station; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Research; Alaska
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/51318

In response to a request from the Division of Polar Programs (DPP) of the National Science Foundation (NSF), an ad hoc science working team was organized to consider the merit of receiving Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The team was tasked with providing DPP with a scientific rationale for such a project, and for providing recommendations leading to an overall science program for a McMurdo SAR Facility (MSF). The specific objective of the science team was to assess the science potential for a McMurdo SAR facility to be ready in time for acquisition of data from RADARSAT but not to preclude acquisition of data from earlier satellites (if still functional). The science team also assumed that necessary functional upgrades would be implemented to continue activities through the EOS timeframe. This document summarizes the science working team's findings including a description of high priority antarctic science objectives identified by the science team as appropriate to address with SAR. The report also includes high level recommendations pertaining to science requirements for data volume, timeliness and quality. The principal findings of the science working team were: There is significant scientific interest in collecting SAR data over Antarctica for glaciological, geological, geophysical, oceanographic and meteorological studies; a McMurdo SAR Facility is needed to provide optimal spatial and temporal radar coverage of Antarctica and the surrounding waters; Science requirements can be accommodated by processing raw data to images at, possibly, the Alaska SAR Facility. Exceptional cases requiring rapid generation of image products can be satisfied using high-speed data links; and, Arrangements must be negotiated for the acquisition and exchange of SAR data captured at foreign stations in order to secure the required coverage.