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What is the format in which SAR images are stored? By format I mean when a SAR captures an image, it gets saved in what format? jpg? png? tiff? or there is some other special format?

Is there a single format, or are there multiple formats?

I also want to know if SAR is itself a sensor or not? I mean, all satellites having a SAR will have the same sensors for acquiring images, or the sensors can be different?

Does LANDSAT use a SAR also for image acquisition, among other sensors?

Nancy
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    Please specify which sensor you are thinking of. Different systems have different formats, as with all remote sensing data. – Mikkel Lydholm Rasmussen Sep 04 '15 at 09:11
  • also, what do you mean by SAR "image" ? Do you mean raw satellite data or processed images (e.g. intensity image) – radouxju Sep 04 '15 at 09:37
  • Look for "processing level" here: http://www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/rsat/rsat_prod.html or here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TerraSAR-X to geht a first idea. Each of the products is delivered in a different format depending on the sensor and the processing level. – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 10:09
  • @radouxju I am talking about the processed ones – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:10
  • @MikkelLydholmRasmussen I was thinking Synthetic Aperture Radar is itself a sensor. Could you correct me? – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:12
  • There is an [edit] button beneath your question that you can use to improve it with the clarifications that potential answerers have been requesting. – PolyGeo Sep 04 '15 at 10:14
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    Synthetic Aperture Radar is a sensor type, but different satellites carry different SAR sensors that measure e.g. with different wavelengths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_aperture_radar – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 10:22
  • @Iris So the format will depend on the sensor then? – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:23
  • Yes, on the sensor (or better on the agency that owns the satellite/sensor) – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 10:26
  • Often, the data distributor will have a service to provide you with the data in an accessible format, such as GeoTIFFs. This is unfortunately not always the case. – Mikkel Lydholm Rasmussen Sep 04 '15 at 10:29
  • @Iris Okay. I have added one link to the question. Are these images SAR images? I am new to remote sensing, so the thought that comes to my mind when I hear SAR images is that they are supposed to be grayscale, but here all images are colored. – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:31
  • @ Iris Also,from the same link, I am able to download the images in jpg format. Can a SAR image be in jpg format? – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:32
  • The link with the Suez Canal shows a "series of Landsat 8 images". Those are optical, no SAR images. And a jpg image is complessed and don't contain spatial information, so no its usually not used for satellite images. A common format is: GeoTiff – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 10:37
  • @Iris So these LANDSAT images are not SAR. Is it always necessary for a satellite image to contain spatial information? And could you elaborate on spatial information,what all does it signify,besides latitudes and longituges? – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 10:40
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    The Landat satellites carry optical sensors that measure the visible, infrared and thermal. SAR sensors (e.g TerraSAR-X, Radarsat-2, ERS-1) measure microwaves. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum#mediaviewer/File:Electromagnetic-Spectrum.svg). – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 11:27
  • And spatial information means that every pixel of the image has a coordinate, e.g. a latitude and a longitue values. If you load your image in a GIS it is shown at the correct location of the earth. – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 11:29
  • Basic information about remote sensing could be found, e.g, in this tutorial: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geomatics/satellite-imagery-air-photos/satellite-imagery-products/educational-resources/9309 – Iris Sep 04 '15 at 11:31
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Nancy Sep 04 '15 at 12:13

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