NISAR Science Users’ Handbook NISAR Science Users’ Handbook National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA-ISRO SAR Mission (NISAR) NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) Mission National Aeronautics and Space Administration Science Users’ Handbook Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California Current Project Planned Launch Date: Document Date: www.nasa.gov Phase: C January 2022 November 7, 2018, Version 1 CL# JPL 400-XXXX 12/18 NISAR Science Users’ Handbook i NISAR Science Users’ Handbook CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 SCIENCE FOCUS AREAS 5 2.1 SOLID EARTH PROCESSES: EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANOES, AND LANDSLIDES 6 2.2 ECOSYSTEMS: BIOMASS, DISTURBANCE, AGRICULTURE AND INUNDATION 8 2.3 DYNAMICS OF ICE: ICE SHEETS, GLACIERS, AND SEA ICE 9 2.4 APPLICATIONS 11 2.5 OCEAN STUDIES AND COASTAL PROCESSES 14 2.6 DISASTER MONITORING, ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY 14 3 MISSION MEASUREMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS 17 3.1 MEASUREMENTS OF SURFACE DEFORMATION 17 AND CHANGE 3.2 LANDCOVER AND FOREST CHARACTERIZATION 18 WITH L-BAND SAR 3.3 REQUIREMENTS AND SCIENCE TRACEABILITY 19 3.4 SCIENCE TRACEABILITY TO MISSION REQUIREMENTS 23 4 MISSION CHARACTERISTICS 27 4.1 OBSERVING STRATEGY 27 4.2 REFERENCE SCIENCE ORBIT 27 4.3 MISSION PHASES AND TIMELINE 33 4.4 GROUND SEGMENT OVERVIEW 34 4.5 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 36 4.6 MISSION PLANNING AND OPERATIONS 38 4.7 INSTRUMENT DESIGN 39 4.8 FLIGHT SYSTEMS/SPACECRAFT 43 4.9 PROJECT STATUS 45 ii NISAR Science Users’ Handbook iii NISAR Science Users’ Handbook 5 MISSION DATA PRODUCTS 47 6.6 CRYOSPHERE PRODUCTS- ICE SHEETS 92 6.6.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 92 5.1 L0 DATA PRODUCTS 49 6.6.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 94 5.2 L1 DATA PRODUCTS 50 6.6.3 Planned output products 100 5.3 L2 DATA PRODUCTS 53 5.4 DATA PRODUCT DELIVERY/HOW TO ACCESS NISAR DATA 53 6.7 CRYOSPHERE PRODUCTS- SEA ICE 100 6.7.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 101 6 SCIENCE DATA PRODUCTS AND VALIDATION 55 6.7.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 105 APPROACHES 6.7.3 Planned output products 108 6.1 SOLID EARTH SCIENCE PRODUCTS: CO-SEISMIC, 55 TRANSIENT AND SECULAR DISPLACEMENTS 7 ERROR SOURCES 111 6.1.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 55 7.1 POLARIMETRIC ERROR SOURCES 111 6.1.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 57 7.2 INTERFEROMETRIC ERROR SOURCES 112 6.1.3 Planned output products 62 6.2 ECOSYSTEMS PRODUCTS- BIOMASS 62 8 CALIBRATION AND VALIDATION 117 6.2.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 63 8.1 BACKGROUND 117 6.2.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 68 8.2 CALIBRATION AND VALIDATION ACTIVITIES 118 6.2.3 Planned output products 73 8.3 CALIBRATION/VALIDATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 124 6.3 ECOSYSTEMS PRODUCTS- DISTURBANCE 73 6.3.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 75 9 CONCLUSIONS 127 6.3.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 77 6.3.3 Planned output products 82 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 129 6.4 ECOSYSTEMS PRODUCTS- INUNDATION 82 11 REFERENCES 131 6.4.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 83 6.4.2 Planned output products 86 12 GLOSSARY 145 6.5 ECOSYSTEMS PRODUCTS- CROP MONITORING 87 6.5.1 Theoretical basis of algorithm 87 13 APPENDIX A: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR NISAR 147 6.5.2 Implementation approach for algorithm 89 6.5.3 Planned output products 91 iv NISAR Science Users’ Handbook v NISAR Science Users’ Handbook 14 APPENDIX B: NISAR SCIENCE TEAM 149 17.2 ECOSYSTEMS 186 17.2.1 Biomass 187 14.1 NASA SCIENCE DEFINITION TEAM 149 17.2.2 Biomass disturbance and recovery 189 14.2 ISRO SCIENCE TEAM 150 17.2.3 Agricultural monitoring 190 14.3 PROJECT SCIENCE TEAM 151 17.2.4 Wetlands and inundation 192 15 APPENDIX C: KEY CONCEPTS 153 17.3 CRYOSPHERE 193 17.3.1 Ice sheets 195 15.1 BASIC RADAR CONCEPTS: RADAR IMAGING, POLARIMETRY, 153 AND INTERFEROMETRY 17.3.2 Glaciers and mountain snow 197 15.1.1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) 153 17.3.3 Sea ice 199 15.1.2 Polarimetry 154 17.3.4 Permafrost 202 15.1.3 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) 155 17.4 APPLICATIONS 203 15.2 DEFORMATION-RELATED TERMINOLOGY 156 17.4.1 Ecosystems: Food security 206 15.2.1 Deformation and displacement 158 17.4.2 Ecosystems: Forest resource management 207 15.2.2 Strain, gradients, and rotation 159 17.4.3 Ecosystems: Wildland fires 208 15.2.3 Stress and rheology 159 17.4.4 Ecosystems: Forest disturbance 210 15.3 ECOSYSTEMS-RELATED TERMINOLOGY 159 17.4.5 Ecosystems: Coastal erosion and shoreline change 210 15.3.1 Biomass 159 17.4.6 Geologic Hazards: Earthquakes 211 15.3.2 Disturbance 160 17.4.7 Geologic Hazards: Volcanic unrest 212 15.3.3 Recovery 160 17.4.8 Geologic Hazards: Sinkholes and mine collapse 213 15.3.4 Classification 160 17.4.9 Geologic Hazards: Landslides and debris flows 213 17.4.10 Hazards: Anthropogenic technological disasters 213 16 APPENDIX D: BASELINE LEVEL 2 REQUIREMENTS 163 17.4.11 Critical Infrastructure: Levees, dams, aqueducts 214 16.1 LEVEL 2 SOLID EARTH 163 17.4.12 Critical Infrastructure: Transportation 214 16.2 LEVEL 2 CRYOSPHERE 163 17.4.13 Critical Infrastructure: Facility situational awareness 214 16.3 LEVEL 2 ECOSYSTEMS 165 17.4.14 Critical Infrastructure: Arctic domain awareness 215 16.4 LEVEL 2 URGENT RESPONSE 167 17.4.15 Maritime: Hurricanes and wind storms 216 17.4.16 Maritime: Sea ice monitoring 216 17 APPENDIX E: NISAR SCIENCE FOCUS AREAS 169 17.4.17 Maritime: Coastal ocean circulation features 217 17.1 SOLID EARTH 169 17.1.1 Earthquakes and seismic hazards 170 17.1.2 Volcano hazards 175 17.1.3 Landslide hazards 176 17.1.4 Induced seismicity 178 17.1.5 Aquifer systems 181 17.1.6 Glacial isostatic adjustment 186 vi NISAR Science Users’ Handbook vii NISAR Science Users’ Handbook 17.3 CRYOSPHERE 193 17.4.26 Underground Reservoirs: Oil and gas production 224 17.3.1 Ice sheets 195 17.4.27 Underground Reservoirs: Induced seismicity 224 17.3.2 Glaciers and mountain snow 197 17.4.28 Rapid damage assessment 226 17.3.3 Sea ice 199 17.3.4 Permafrost 202 18 APPENDIX F: IN SITU MEASUREMENTS FOR CAL/VAL 229 17.4 APPLICATIONS 203 19 APPENDIX G: RADAR INSTRUMENT MODES 235 17.4.1 Ecosystems: Food security 206 17.4.2 Ecosystems: Forest resource management 207 20 APPENDIX H: SCIENCE TARGET MAPS 255 17.4.3 Ecosystems: Wildland fires 208 17.4.4 Ecosystems: Forest disturbance 210 21 APPENDIX I: DATA PRODUCT LAYERS 257 17.4.5 Ecosystems: Coastal erosion and shoreline change 210 17.4.6 Geologic Hazards: Earthquakes 211 17.4.7 Geologic Hazards: Volcanic unrest 212 17.4.8 Geologic Hazards: Sinkholes and mine collapse 213 17.4.9 Geologic Hazards: Landslides and debris flows 213 17.4.10 Hazards: Anthropogenic technological disasters 213 A B 17.4.11 Critical Infrastructure: Levees, dams, aqueducts 214 17.4.12 Critical Infrastructure: Transportation 214 17.4.13 Critical Infrastructure: Facility situational awareness 214 17.4.14 Critical Infrastructure: Arctic domain awareness 215 17.4.15 Maritime: Hurricanes and wind storms 216 17.4.16 Maritime: Sea ice monitoring 216 17.4.17 Maritime: Coastal ocean circulation features 217 17.4.18 Maritime: Ocean surface wind-speed 217 17.4.19 Maritime: Iceberg and ship detection 218 17.4.20 Maritime: Oil spills 218 17.4.21 Maritime/Hydrology: Floods hazards 219 17.4.22 Hydrology: Flood forecasting 220 17.4.23 Hydrology: Coastal inundation 221 17.4.24 Hydrology: Soil moisture 222 17.4.25 Underground Reservoirs: Groundwater withdrawal 223 viii NISAR Science Users’ Handbook ix NISAR Science Users’ Handbook Updated for Baseline Left-Looking Only Mode List of Authors Falk Amelung Richard Forster Tapan Misra University of Miami University of Utah Space Applications Centre, NISAR, 2018. NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) Mission Science Users’ Handbook. NASA Indian Space Research Organization Gerald Bawden Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 263 pp. Margaret Glasscoe NASA Headquarters Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Frank Monaldo California Institute of Technology National Oceanic and Adrian Borsa Atmospheric Administration Scripps Institution of Bradford Hager Oceanography, UC, San Diego Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sandip Oza Space Applications Centre, Sean Buckley Scott Hensley Indian Space Research Organization Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Matthew Pritchard Cornell University Susan Callery Benjamin Holt Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Eric Rignot California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology University of California, Irvine Manab Chakraborty Cathleen Jones Paul Rosen Space Applications Centre, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Indian Space Research Organization California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Bruce Chapman Ian Joughin Sassan Saatchi Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Applied Physics Laboratory, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology University of Washington California Institute of Technology Anup Das Josef Kellndorfer Priyanka Sharma Space Applications Centre, Earth Big Data, LLC. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Indian Space Research Organization California Institute of Technology Raj Kumar Andrea Donnellan Space Applications Centre, Marc Simard Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Indian Space Research Organization Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Rowena Lohman Ralph Dubayah Cornell University Mark Simons University of Maryland California Institute of Technology Zhong Lu Kurt Feigl Southern Methodist University Paul Siqueira University of Wisconsin University of Massachusetts, Franz Meyer Amherst Eric Fielding University of Alaska, Fairbanks Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Howard Zebker California Institute of Technology Stanford University NISAR Science Users’ Handbook 1 NISAR Science Users’ Handbook 1 INTRODUCTION The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), or The Earth Science Division (ESD) within the Science NISAR (Figure 1-1), mission is a multi-disciplinary Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters has radar mission to make integrated measurements to directed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to manage understand the causes and consequences of land the United States component of the NISAR project.