Global mapping and local deformation measurements with the satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X

摘要

The German Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite TerraSAR-X was launched into orbit in 2007. Since then it is delivering imagery of the Earth's surface with a resolution of up to 1 m to commercial and scientific users. Compared to the 5 to 20 m resolution of earlier SAR systems, this high resolution resolves not only regional structures but even details of single buildings. In 2010, TerraSAR-X was complemented by an almost identical sister-satellite to form a dual-satellite interferometric formation which is capable to generate digital elevation models. This interferometer - called the TanDEM-X mission - is since then used to map the whole Earth's topography with 12m horizontal resolution and 2m (90%) height error, an accuracy unprecedented so far. The TanDEM-X mission will last for three years and the current results confirm the predicted accuracy. This paper discusses some aspects of both, the TerraSAR-X and the TanDEM-X missions related to surveying and geodesy and reports the accuracy achieved so far.