Sentinel-1A/B SAR and InSAR performance

This paper addresses the Copernicus Sentinel-1A/B mission’s SAR and InSAR performance. Sentinel-1 uses preprogrammed SAR mode operations to provide a high revisit frequency and systematic global SAR image coverage. This is mainly based upon the operational use of the novel TOPS (Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans in azimuth) SAR imaging mode. We present results of the SAR system performance analysis focusing on the instrument stability, the radiometric and geolocation accuracy, as well as the Noise Equivalent Sigma Zero (NESZ). In addition, we discuss the cross- Sentinel-1A/B SAR Interferometry (InSAR) performance considering the effects of burst synchronization and SAR antenna pointing on the achievable common Doppler bandwidth, as well as the obtained InSAR orbital baseline due to the orbital tube maintenance.