Near real-time RADARSAT data system for NOAA CoastWatch applications

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in partnership with other U.S. Government agencies has augmented existing satellite reception and processing facilities at the Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) to provide near real-time access to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for U.S. Government operational applications. Access is available for RADARSAT SAR data acquired by the ASF in Fairbanks, Alaska, by the Canadian readout stations in Gatineau, Quebec and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and by the Norwegian station in Tromso. Qualified user access to these data is provided by the NOAA Satellite Active Archive (SAA). A major user of SAR data in NOAA is the CoastWatch program. This paper provides an introduction of this near real-time RADARSAT data system and some preliminary results of the use of RADARSAT data for ocean applications