Spaceborne imaging radars

The Seasat and Shuttle imaging radars flown in the 1970s and 1980s established a strong scientific and technical base for a number of imaging radars that are flying or under development. Recent advances in understanding wave-surface interactions, utilization of multispectral and polarimetric data, as well as advances in microwave and electronic technology, are allowing the development of a new generation of multiparameter imaging radars that will allow quantitative measurements of surface and near-surface geophysical parameters and monitoring of surface processes over long-term duration. This article is an overview of spaceborne imaging radars presently flying or under development.