The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. Vol. XXXVII. Part Bl. Beijing 2008 
Satellite Orbit 
Fig. 2: The SpotLight and High resolution Spotlight imaging 
geometry 
Single pol SM 
Dual pol SM 
Polarizations 
HH or VV 
HH/VV 
Scene 
dimensions 
10km x 10km (SL) 
10km x 5km (HS) 
10km x 10km (SL) 
10km x 5km (HS) 
Full 
performance 
range 
20° - 55° 
20° - 55° 
Azimuth 
resolution 
1.7m (SL) 
1.1m (HS) 
3.4m (SL) 
2.2m (HS) 
Ground range 
resolution 
1.48-3.49m 
(@55°...20°inc) 
HS with 300MHz 
bandwidth 
0.74- 1.77m 
(@55°...20°inc) 
1.70-3.49m 
(@55°...20°inc) 
1.1.3 The ScanSAR mode 
The ScanSAR imaging mode combines the ability to acquire 
high resolution images for detailed analysis as well as wide 
swath images for overview applications. The electronic antenna 
elevation steering is used to switch after bursts of pulses 
between swathes with different incidence angles. In the 
designed TerraSAR-X ScanSAR mode, four StripMap beams 
are combined to achieve a 100 km wide swath (Fig. 3). Due to 
the switching between the beams only bursts of SAR echoes are 
received, resulting in a reduced azimuth resolution. 
Satellite orbit 
Single poi SM 
Dual poi SM 
Polarizations 
HH or VV 
/ 
Scene dimensions 
150km x 100km 
/ 
Full performance 
range 
20°-45° 
/ 
Azimuth 
resolution 
18.5m 
/ 
Ground range 
resolution 
1.70-3.49m 
(@45°...20°inc) 
/ 
Additionally TerraSAR-X capabilities include an experimental 
Dual-Receive-Mode, which is based on the usage of the antenna 
in two azimuth halves and utilizes the redundant electronics set 
as a second receiver channel. This Dual-Receive-Mode will 
enable along-track interferometry, e.g. for velocity 
measurements and traffic control, and a full polarimetric mode, 
by simultaneously receiving H and V with the two sub-apertures. 
1.2 TerraSAR-X Basic Image Products 
Infoterra GmbH proposes image products that can be classified 
into two major product groups: 
• The Basic Image Products (or LIB Products) and are 
the output from the TerraSAR-X Multi Mode SAR 
Processor (TMSP), which has been developed by the 
German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and correspond to the 
CEOS Level lb quality. They are distributed by 
Infoterra GmbH for the commercial clients and by DLR 
for the scientific users. 
• TerraSAR-X Value Added Products and processors 
have been defined and developed in the framework of a 
co-operation between Infoterra GmbH and Joanneum 
Research. The products are distributed by Infoterra 
GmbH only. They will be described in the §2. 
1.2.1 Single Look Slant Range Complex (SSC) product 
This product is the equivalent of the standard Slant Range 
Complex products (SLC) available from ERS-1/2, ENVISAT 
ASAR, RADARSAT-1 and X-SAR/SIR-C. 
The SSC is the basic single look product of the focused radar 
signal. The product provides the full bandwidth and the phase 
information so that any other product can be generated at a later 
time. Fig. 4 represents the amplitude and the phase of the signal 
backscattered from the test site from Solothum in Switzerland. 
-n n 
Fig. 4: Solothum (Switzerland) - SL- amplitude and phase 
components of the SSC product 
1.2.2 The Multi-Look Ground Range Detected (MGD) 
product 
The MGD corresponds to the ERS-1/2 PRI or ENVISAT ASAR 
product called ASAIMP1P. 
Fig. 3: The ScanSAR imaging geometry 
The MGD is a multi-look product with reduced speckle and 
22g approximately square ground resolution cells. The image