Sentinel-1 GRD Preprocessing Workflow

Abstract

The Copernicus Programme has become the world’s largest space data provider, providing complete, free and open access to satellite data, mainly acquired by Sentinel satellites. Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data have improved spatial resolution and high revisit frequency, making them useful for a wide range of applications. While few research applications need Sentinel-1 Ground Range Detected (GRD) data with few corrections applied, a wider range of users needs products with a standard set of corrections applied. In order to facilitate the exploitation of Sentinel-1 GRD products, there is the need to standardise procedures to preprocess SAR data to a higher processing level. A standard generic workflow to preprocess Copernicus Sentinel-1 GRD data is presented here. The workflow aims to apply a series of standard corrections, and to apply a precise orbit of acquisition, remove thermal and image border noise, perform radiometric calibration, and apply range Doppler and terrain correction. Additionally, the workflow allows spatially snapping of Sentinel-1 GRD products to Sentinel-2 MSI data grids, in order to promote the use of satellite virtual constellations by means of data fusion techniques. The presented workflow allows the production of a set of preprocessed Sentinel-1 GRD data, offering a benchmark for the development of new products and operational down-streaming services based on consistent Copernicus Sentinel-1 GRD datasets, with the aim of providing reliable information of interest to a wide range of communities.