RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP)

The RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) was composed of two main missions, the first Antarctic Mapping Mission (AMM-1) and the Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission (MAMM). Both missions utilized RADARSAT-1, a satellite developed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and launched by NASA from Vandenburg Air Force Base on November 4, 1995.

Derived data acquired 1997 and 2000 from two RADARSAT-1 satellite missions (AMM-1 and MAMM) was used to map features of Antarctica and measure ice sheet dynamics. Datasets are available as image tiles and mosaics, and velocity maps. Also available are ice velocity maps from mini-MAMM missions in 2004 and 2007.

©CSA 1997; Mosaic ©Ohio State University, 1997

Overview

User Guide / Technical Information

Products

RAMP Publications

Discover Data

RAMP

RADARSAT-1 was equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which enabled the satellite to capture high-resolution Earth imagery day and night regardless of weather conditions. The satellite covered the Earth every 24 days which allowed interferometric analysis. Functioning at C-band (5.3 GHz frequency), RADARSAT-1 was able to direct its radar beam at different angles in the right-side direction. Additional maneuvering of the satellite itself resulted in its invaluable ability to look left, increasing the number of available target locations. These features made RADARSAT-1 a well-matched satellite for the Antarctic Mapping missions.

AMM-1 started on September 9, 1997 and was completed on October 20, 1997. Its goals were to acquire a complete map of Antarctica and better understand the relationships between the southernmost continent’s environmental elements. As Antarctica’s inhospitable environment had limited the success of previous mapping endeavors, this mission’s data and imagery would prove to be a vital baseline to contrast against the data of future missions.
Using the right- and left-looking abilities of RADARSAT-1, a mosaic map of Antarctica at 25 m resolution was created. The map displayed Antarctica’s geological features through variations in radar brightness and texture, including ice streams. Ice velocity vectors were compiled using AMM-1 data to measure ice sheet movement over ice streams.

MAMM began three years after AMM-1 ended, starting on September 3, 2000 and ending on November 17, 2000. It planned to remap Antarctica and measure ice velocity data using interferometric analysis and data from AMM-1. In the three years’ difference between the two main Antarctic Mapping Missions, ice sheet advance and retreat could be observed and better evaluated as episodic change or regional climate change.
The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) processed AMM-1 and MAMM data into images, which The Ohio State University converted into maps and velocity fields using Vexcel Corporation software. Additional participants include the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) and other scientific advisors.

Video	Video
View on Youtube: “Antarctica – A Flying Tour of the Frozen Continent” with sound	Embedded video “Antarctica – A Flying Tour of the Frozen Continent”with sound

From NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Fly-over video without sound	Fly-over video without text or sound

Image	Image

Surface velocity mosaic of the east Antarctic Ice Streams. The speed is encoded as hue and SAR is encoded as intensity in the HSV color model. The upstream velocity of the Recovery Glacier is about 100 meters/year (light blue areas). Near the grounding line, there is a local peak velocity of about 900 meters/year (yellow and red areas). ©Zhiyuan Zhao	A cutaway image of Antarctica showing the continent under its ice. ©National Geographic 2002

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Missions

AMM-1

Video	Video
View on Youtube: “Antarctica – A Flying Tour of the Frozen Continent” with sound	Embedded video “Antarctica – A Flying Tour of the Frozen Continent”with sound

From NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Fly-over video without sound	Fly-over video without text or sound

Image	Image

Surface velocity mosaic of the east Antarctic Ice Streams. The speed is encoded as hue and SAR is encoded as intensity in the HSV color model. The upstream velocity of the Recovery Glacier is about 100 meters/year (light blue areas). Near the grounding line, there is a local peak velocity of about 900 meters/year (yellow and red areas). ©Zhiyuan Zhao	A cutaway image of Antarctica showing the continent under its ice. ©National Geographic 2002

Mission One Plans

The SPA file is modified to allow for right looking acquisitions.

AMM_final are export files detailing the prenominal and nominal missions. These can be imported into ARC.

Interferometric SAR (InSAR) and nom_c1 include export files and html files. The latter can be read into the SPA. The number 8 suffix indicates the time automatically added by CSA to the start and end of an acquisition request.

Documentation

MAMM (AMM-2) Documentation

Imagery	Imagery
Click thumbnail below to enlarge.	Click thumbnail below to enlarge.
Ice velocity vectors obtained over the Lambert Glacier using RADARSAT SAR imagery. The areas of no motion (yellow) are either exposed land or stationary ice. The smaller confluent glaciers have generally low velocities (green, 100-300 meters per year).	The 3-year average velocity of the Drygalski ice tongue in meters per year from feature retracking.

Mission 2 plans

Final Report: Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission (MAMM) Acquisition Plan: a detailed description of the development of the acquisition sequence for the RADARSAT spacecraft used to conduct the MAMM mission.
The RadarSAT-MAMM Automated Mission Planner: documentation of the results of the automated mission planner effort presented at an artificial intelligence conference in Seattle, Washington.
Final MAMM Plans: A directory containing the user request files i.e., the RADARSAT-1 program name for the files containing the requested data acquisitions for all three MAMM cycles.
MAMM SPA: A directory containing an automated mission planning tool developed at JPL and used to help analyze candidate acquisition plans for compliance with various mission constraints.
MAMM SPA export: Two export files; one for ascending coverage and the other for descending coverage.

Mini Mosaics

Mini-mosaic Geolocation

Validation

Geolocation Checks

Presentations

RAMP Media

The following table contains links to short animations created with RAMP data.

Rossmorph
Larsen Ice Shelf
Amery Ice Shelf
Dry Valleys, Antarctica
East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Part 1
East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Part 2
Fimbul Ice Shelf
Lambert Glacier
ambert Glacier with Velocity Vectors
Snow Dunes in Antarctica
Vostok, Antarctica
Belgica Route in the Belgian Antarctic Expedition
Amundsen and Scott Routes in the Race to the South Pole
Amundsen Route in the Race to the South Pole
Scott Route in the Race to the South Pole

Video	Video
Rossmorph The retreat of the ice sheet from the 20000 y BP max, courtesy of GSFC.	Larsen Ice Shelf Morphing through time, starting with 1993 ERS data and going through AMM and MAMM.

Amery Ice Shelf, Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.	Dry Valleys, Antarctica Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.

East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Part 1 Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.	East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Part 2 Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.

Fimbul Ice Shelf Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.	Lambert Glacier Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.

Lambert Glacier with Velocity Vectors An animation with 2000 velocity vectors derived from MAMM.	Snow Dunes in Antarctica Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.

Vostok, Antarctica Animation created using the RAMP Mosaic.	Belgica Route in the Belgian Antarctic Expedition A historical expedition to Antarctica.

Amundsen and Scott Routes in the Race to the South Pole A historical expedition to Antarctica.	Amundsen Route in the Race to the South Pole A historical expedition to Antarctica.

Scott Route in the Race to the South Pole A historical expedition to Antarctica.