ENHANCED-RESOLUTION ERS-1 SCATTEROMETER IMAGING OF SOUTHERN-OCEAN SEA-ICE

A new method of image reconstruction is described which allows enhance d-resolution images to be produced from gridded C-band scatterometer d ata from the Active Microwave Instrument (AMI) carried by ESA's ERS-1 satellite. Resulting images are weekly averages which improve the nomi nal resolution of 50 km to an enhanced resolution of approximately 14 km. Time-integrated images are maps of the mean radar-backscatter coef ficient normalised to 40-degrees incidence. Such medium-scale images a re derived for application to mapping the dynamics of the Southern-Oce an sea-ice cover. These all-weather day and night images may be derive d in regions of the globe from AMI scatterometer-mode data where highe r resolution (25 m) AMI SAR image data are unavailable due to the lack of a local SAR receiving station, or during periods when the receivin g station is closed. Results demonstrate that this enhanced-resolution imaging technique applied to the scatterometer mode of the AMI comple ments and considerably enhances the lower frequency temporal and spati al coverage of high-resolution SAR images in the Antarctic.