The Sentinel-1 Toolbox

Abstract

The SENTINEL-1 Toolbox is a new open source software for scientific learning, research and exploitation of the large archives of SENTINEL and heritage missions. The Toolbox is based on the proven BEAM/NEST architecture inheriting all current NEST functionality including multi-mission support for most civilian satellite SAR missions. The Toolbox will also be compatible with the SENTINEL-2 and SENTINEL-3 Toolboxes incorporating tools for multispectral optical products. The project is funded through ESA's Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions (SEOM). SEOM seeks to federate, support and expand the large international research community that the ERS, ENVISAT and the Envelope programmes have built up over the last 20 years. The SENTINEL-1 Toolbox will strive to serve the SEOM mandate by providing leading-edge software to the science and application users in support of ESA's operational SAR mission as well as by educating and growing a SAR user community. The Toolbox will also make use of polarimetric tools developed for the CSA through the Earth Observation Application Development Program(EOADP). The SENTINEL-1 Toolbox will evolutionary replace the Next ESA SAR Toolbox (NEST ) currently used by thousands of SAR users in academic and operational environments. The first release of the software will be freely available in mid-2014.