CoAuthors

Jérôme Benveniste (ESA/ESRIN, Italy)

The scope of this work is to feature the new ESA service (SARvatore) for the exploitation of the CryoSat-2 data, designed and developed by the Altimetry Team at ESA-ESRIN EOP-SER (Earth Observation – Exploitation, Research and Development). The G-POD Service, SARvatore (SAR Versatile Altimetric Toolkit for Ocean Research & Exploitation) for CryoSat-2, is a web platform that provides the capability to process on-line, on-demand and with user-selectable algorithm configuration CryoSat-2 SAR/SARin data, from L1a (FBR) data products until SAR/SARin Level-2 geophysical data products. The Processor makes use of the G-POD (Grid-Processing On Demand) distributed computing platform to deliver timely the output data products and interfaces with ESA-ESRIN FBR data archive (155’000 SAR passes and 41’000 SARin passes). The output data products are generated in standard NetCDF format (using CF Convention), and they are compatible with the ESA Multi-Mission Radar Altimetry Toolbox and other NetCDF tools. Using the G-POD graphic interface, it is easy to select the geographical area of interest along with the time-frame of interest, based on the Cryosat-2 SAR/SARin FBR data products availability in the service's catalogue. The processor prototype is versatile in the sense that the users can customize and adapt the processing, according their specific requirements, setting a list of configurable options. After the task submission, the users can follow, in real time, the status of the processing task. From the web interface, the user can select to generate experimental SAR data products as stack data and RIP (Range Integrated Power) waveforms.
The processing service, initially developed to support the development of awarded contracts confronting the deliverables to ESA, is now available to be used by the SAR Altimetry Community worldwide for research & development experiments, on site demonstrations/training in training courses and workshops, cross-comparison against third party products (CLS/CNES CPP Products or ESA SAR COP data products for instance), preparation for the Sentinel-3 Surface Topography Mission, producing data and graphics for publications, etc. Initially, the processing was designed and optimized for open ocean studies solely, based on the SAMOSA model developed for Sentinel-3 Ground Segment using CryoSat data, but since June 2015, a new retracker (SAMOSA+) is offered in the service as dedicated retracker for coastal zone, inland water and sea-ice/ice-sheet. In the view of the Sentinel-3 launch, a new flavor of the service will be initiated specifically dedicated to process the Sentinel-3 mission data products. The scope of this new service will be to maximize the exploitation of the upcoming Sentinel-3 Surface Topography Mission over all surfaces. The service is open and free of charge and available at: https://gpod.eo.esa.int/services/CRYOSAT_SAR/
More info can be read at:
http://wiki.services.eoportal.org/tiki-index.php?page=GPOD+CryoSat-2+SARvatore+Software+Prototype+User+Manual