Context: 

Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) will be part of an advanced NISAR phase 2 research project on forest biomass and carbon monitoring using radar data.

KUFOS to Join Research Project Under NASA-ISRO Collaboration Programme

• The collaboration comes after the successful completion of the first phase of the ISRO-NISAR program.
• The second phase of the research project involves the use of advanced radar imaging which provides a detailed view of Earth made available through the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).

NISAR: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar 

• NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a joint project between NASA and ISRO.

• • NISAR is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory. It will map the entire Earth in 12 days.
• Aim: To co-develop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite.
• Significance: The satellite will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies. It will be used for remote sensing to observe and understand natural processes on Earth.

• Features of NISAR

  • Dual Frequency Radar: NISAR will be the first radar imaging satellite to use two frequencies, L-band (24cm wavelength) and S-band (9cm wavelength), making it able to collect more detailed data on a wider range of Earth’s surface.
  • High Resolution: NISAR will be able to map Earth’s surface with a resolution of up to 5m in L-band and 12m in S-band. This will allow it to see small features to be seen by other radar satellites.
  • Global Coverage: NISAR will be able to map the entire Earth every 12 days.
  • Open Data: All the data collected by NISAR will be freely available to scientists around the world.

• Application of NISAR 

• • Ecosystem Monitoring: NISAR high-resolution data will be used to monitor the health of forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems. The information will be crucial for understanding the impact of climate change.
  • Disaster Preparedness: NISAR maps floodplains, landslides, and other potential hazards. The information will help the community prepare before disaster and develop early warning systems.
  • Water Resource Management: NISAR’s data can be used to map surface water resources, such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands. 
  • Cryosphere Monitoring: NISAR’s data can be used to monitor glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice. The data can be used to track changes in ice thickness and extent, which is important for understanding the impacts of climate change on sea level rise and global climate patterns.
  • Solid Earth Science: NISAR’s data can be used to study the Earth’s crust and mantle, important for mapping faults, volcanoes, and other geological features. This information is important for understanding the Earth’s tectonic processes and hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.