Gap analyses by variable or by type of mission

Please select either a variable or a type of mission to display a time chart of satellite instruments having the potential to provide the corresponding measurements. The selection is based on design characteristics (Expert analysis) or declared mission objectives (Simplified analysis). Such a preliminary analysis does not replace a detailed assessment of the actual instrument performances, data availability, and quality of derived environmental data records against specific user requirements.

Note: The chart can be sorted by clicking on the header columns and filtered by instrument properties when applicable. Select the period of interest with the cursor at the bottom of the chart. Future missions which are not firmly planned are shaded with stripes. A warning icon (Important note) indicates degraded satellite: hover over the icon for details. The chart is followed by a table of all potentially relevant instruments.

Select a variable

or select a type of mission

Instrument types
Analysis
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In "Simplified" mode, the results in the analysis are calculated by looking at each instrument's mission objectives: for each instrument we keep track of what the primary, secondary, and opportunity mission objectives are. These mission objectives indicate that an instrument is primarily envisioned to measure variable X, Y and Z, that variables A, B and C are its secondary objective, and that it may offer the opportunity to measure variables I and II although it is not optimized for that. The simplified Gap analysis produces a timeline based on this information. The simplified Gap analysis is only available for analyzing variables, not for missions.
In "Expert system" mode, the results in the analysis are calculated with an expert system. Internally, OSCAR works with a large set of 1700 rules that determine whether or not an instrument is capable of measuring a given variable, and to what degree. When you select "Expert system", the Gap analysis is performed based on this large set of rules.

Variable sorting criteria

 

Each instrument is assigned with a 5-step rating, evaluated as a blend of several elements.  For this particular Variable, the rating is driven by:

  • the exploited technology (altimeter or SAR);
  • the large swath capability (for altimeter) or the frequency (for SAR).

 

RATING CRITERIA:

1
  • Large swath radar altimeter

2
  • Nadir-only radar altimeter

3
  • X- and possibly Ku-band SAR

4
  • C-band SAR

5
  • L- and/or S-band SAR
Measurement timeline for Significant wave height

Definition: Average amplitude of the highest 30 of 100 waves.

Hint: Move around in the timeline by scrolling up, down, left or right.

Found 93 results

This table has a large number of results.
HideShow inactive instruments
Instrument NRT? Relevance Satellite Orbit
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
KaRIN1 - primarySWOT78 °XXXX
SWIM1 - primaryCFOSAT07:00 desc
X
XXXX
SWIM1 - primaryCFOSAT follow-on07:00 descXXXXXX
SHIOSAI1 - primaryCOMPIRA51 °XXXXXX
AltiKa2 - very highSARAL05:56 asc
X
XXXXXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2B06:00 desc
X
XXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2C66 °
X
XXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2D66 °XXXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2E06:00 descXXXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2F66 °XXXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2G66 °XXXXXX
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very highHY-2A06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXX
ALT (SeaSat)2 - very highSeaSat108 °
X
Altimeter2 - very highSWOT78 °XXXX
Altimeter (COMPIRA)2 - very highCOMPIRA51 °XXXXXX
GFO-RA2 - very highGFO108 °
X
XXXXXXXXX
X
GRA2 - very highGEOSat108 °
X
XXXX
X
NRA2 - very highTOPEX-Poseidon66 °
X
XXXXXXXXXXXX
X
Poseidon-22 - very highJASON-166 °
X
XXXXXXXXXXX
X
Poseidon-32 - very highJASON-266 °
X
XXXXXXXXXX
X
Poseidon-3BYes2 - very highJASON-366 °
X
XXXXX
Poseidon-42 - very highSentinel-6A66 °
X
XXXXXXX
Poseidon-42 - very highSentinel-6B66 °XXXXXXXX
RA2 - very highERS-110:30 desc
X
XXXXXXXX
X
RA2 - very highERS-210:30 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X
RA-22 - very highEnvisat10:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXX
X
SIRAL2 - very highCryoSat92 °
X
SIRALNo2 - very highCryoSat-292 °
X
XXXXXXXXXXX
SRALYes2 - very highSentinel-3B10:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SRAL2 - very highSentinel-3C10:00 descXXXXXXXX
SRAL2 - very highSentinel-3D10:00 descXXXXXXXX
SRALYes2 - very highSentinel-3A10:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SSALT2 - very highTOPEX-Poseidon66 °
X
XXXXXXXXXXXX
X
BRLK “Briz”3 - highMeteor-MP N115:30 ascXXXXXXXX
BRLK “Briz”3 - highMeteor-MP N209:30 descXXXXXXXX
BRLK “Briz”3 - highObzor-R N1TBDXXXXXX
BRLK “Briz”3 - highObzor-R N2TBDXXXXXX
BRLK “Briz”3 - highObzor-R N3TBDXXXXXX
BRLK “Briz”3 - highObzor-R N4TBDXXXXXX
COSI3 - highKOMPSAT-606:00 ascXXXX
COSI3 - highKOMPSAT-506:00 asc
X
XXXXXXXX
CSG-SAR3 - highCSG-106:00 asc
X
XXXXXXX
CSG-SAR3 - highCSG-206:00 ascXXXXXXXX
HRWS-SAR3 - highHRWS-SAR06:00 descXXXXXXXXX
MeteoSAR3 - highMeteor-M N2-609:00 ascXXXXXX
MeteoSAR3 - highMeteor-M N2-309:00 descXXXXXX
MeteoSAR3 - highMeteor-M N2-415:00 ascXXXXXX
MeteoSAR3 - highMeteor-M N2-515:00 descXXXXXX
SAR-2000No3 - highCSK-106:00 asc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-2000No3 - highCSK-206:00 asc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-2000No3 - highCSK-306:00 asc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-2000No3 - highCSK-406:00 asc
X
XXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-X3 - highTanDEM-X06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-X3 - highTerraSAR-X06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR-X (Paz (SEOSAR))3 - highSEOSAR/Paz06:00 asc
X
XXXXX
SAR-X (RISAT-2) Important note3 - highRISAT-2B37 °
X
XXXXX
SAR-X (RISAT-2) Important note3 - highRISAT-2BR137 °
X
XXXXX
SAR-X (RISAT-2) Important note3 - highEOS-0137 °
X
XXXXX
SAR-X (RISAT-2) Important note3 - highRISAT-241 °
X
XXXXXXXXXXXX
W-SAR3 - highHY-3A06:00 descXXXXXXXXX
W-SAR3 - highHY-3B06:00 descXXXXXXXXX
AMI-SAR4 - fairERS-110:30 desc
X
XXXXXXXX
X
AMI-SAR4 - fairERS-210:30 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X
ASAR4 - fairEnvisat10:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXX
X
SAR (RadarSat-1)4 - fairRadarSat-106:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X
SAR (RadarSat-1)No4 - fairRadarSat-206:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SAR RCM4 - fairRCM-106:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SAR RCM4 - fairRCM-206:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SAR RCM4 - fairRCM-306:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SAR-C (GF-3)4 - fairGF-1206:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXX
SAR-C (GF-3)4 - fairGF-306:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXX
SAR-C (RISAT)4 - fairRISAT-1A06:00 descXXXXXX
SAR-C (RISAT)4 - fairRISAT-106:00 desc
X
XXXX
X
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)No4 - fairSentinel-1A06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)4 - fairSentinel-1B06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)No4 - fairSentinel-1C06:00 descXXXXXXXX
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)No4 - fairSentinel-1D06:00 descXXXXXXXX
SAR-Travers5 - marginalResurs-O1-110:15 asc
X
X
SAR-10 Important note5 - marginalKondor-E174.75 °
X
XXXXX
SAR-105 - marginalKondor-E74.75 °
X
X
SAR-S Important note5 - marginalHJ-1C Important note06:00 desc
X
XXXXXXXXX
SAR-S (NISAR) 5 - marginalNI-SAR06:00 descXXXXXX
L-SAR5 - marginalTandem-L06:00 descXXXXXXXXXXXXX
PALSAR5 - marginalALOS10:30 desc
X
XXXX
X
PALSAR-2No5 - marginalALOS-212:00 desc
X
XXXXXXX
PALSAR-35 - marginalALOS-412:00 descXXXXXXXX
SAR5 - marginalSeaSat108 °
X
SAR (JERS)5 - marginalJERS10:45 desc
X
XXXXX
X
SAR-L5 - marginalSAOCOM-1A06:00 asc
X
XXXXX
SAR-L5 - marginalSAOCOM-1B06:00 asc
X
XXXXX
SAR-L5 - marginalSAOCOM-2A06:00 ascXXXXXX
SAR-L5 - marginalSAOCOM-2B06:00 ascXXXXXX
SAR-L (NISAR)5 - marginalNI-SAR06:00 descXXXXXX
All instruments for measuring Significant wave height
Instruments Relevance Operational limitations
KaRIN1 - primary
SWIM1 - primary
SHIOSAI1 - primary
AltiKa2 - very high
ALT (HY-2A)2 - very high
ALT (SeaSat)2 - very high
Altimeter2 - very high
Altimeter (COMPIRA)2 - very high
GFO-RA2 - very high
GRA2 - very high
NRA2 - very high
Poseidon-22 - very high
Poseidon-32 - very high
Poseidon-3B2 - very high
Poseidon-42 - very high
RA2 - very high
RA-22 - very high
SIRAL2 - very high
SRAL2 - very high
SSALT2 - very high
SAR-X/Ku3 - high
BRLK “Briz”3 - high
COSI3 - high
CSG-SAR3 - high
HRWS-SAR3 - high
MeteoSAR3 - high
SAR-20003 - high
SAR-X3 - high
SAR-X (Paz (SEOSAR))3 - high
SAR-X (RISAT-2)3 - high
W-SAR3 - high
AMI-SAR4 - fair
ASAR4 - fair
SAR (RadarSat-1)4 - fair
SAR RCM4 - fair
SAR-C (GF-3)4 - fair
SAR-C (RISAT)4 - fair
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)4 - fair
SAR-Travers5 - marginal
SAR-105 - marginal
SAR-S5 - marginal
SAR-S (NISAR) 5 - marginal
SAR-S (NovaSAR)5 - marginal
InSAR5 - marginal
L-SAR5 - marginal
PALSAR5 - marginal
PALSAR-25 - marginal
PALSAR-35 - marginal
SAR5 - marginal
SAR (JERS)5 - marginal
SAR-L5 - marginal
SAR-L (NISAR)5 - marginal