IAG SubCommission 4.6

SC4.6: GNSS-Reflectometry & Applications

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Steering Committee

Shuanggen Jin (SHAO-CAS, China) 每 Chair

Manuel Martin-Neira (ESA/ESTEC, Netherlands) - Co-Chair

Scott Gleason (Concordia University, Canada) - Secretary

Mark Jacobson (MSU Billings, USA) - Member at Large

Estel Cardellach (IEEC, Spain) - Member at Large

Terms of Reference:

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a highly precise, continuous, all-weather and near-real-time microwave (L-band) technique, which implies more and wider applications and potentials. Recently, the versatile reflected and scattered signals of GNSS have been successfully demonstrated to sound the land surfaces (including soil moisture), ocean, and the cryosphere as a new remote sensing tool. The GNSS reflected signals from the ocean and land surface could determine the ocean height, wind speed and wind direction of ocean surface, soil moisture, ice and snow thickness, which could supplement the traditional remote sensing techniques, e.g., radar altimetry. The focus of this Sub-Commission (SC4.6) is to facilitate collaboration and communication, and to support joint researches with promising GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) technique. Specific objectives will be achieved through closely collaborating with working groups and other IAG Commissions/Sub-Commissions. Meanwhile, close collaboration with the International GNSS Service (IGS), Institute of Navigation (ION) and IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (IGRASS) will be promoted, such as joint sponsorship of international professional workshops and conferences.

Objectives:

To promote and extend GNSS Reflectometry/Scatterometry developments and tests as well as environment remote sensing applications;
To improve the existing estimation algorithms, inversion theory and temporal-spatial resolution in GNSS reflectometry from the ocean and land surface and supplement the traditional remote sensors, e.g., Satellite Altimetry;
To coordinate data from GNSS-R campaign experiments and provide environment remote sensing products through fusing with other terrestrial and satellite observations;
To address coastal ocean topography, ocean surface roughness characteristics (wind speed/direction and wave height), ice motion, wetland monitoring and surface soil moisture and snow/ice thickness as well as the condition of sea ice, glacial melting and the freezing/thaw state of frozen ground;
To facilitate collaboration and communication with mutual Remote Sensing related communities (Oceanography, Hydrology, Cryosphere, Geodesy...)

Program of Activities:

The Sub-commission will establish Work Groups (WGs) on relevant topics, and promote GNSS Reflectometry/Scatterometry developments and remote sensing applications. Chair/Co-Chair will work closely with members and other IAG Commissions/Sub-Commissions to obtain mutual goals. Also we will organize international workshops and symposiums to provide a platform for GNSS-R communication and collaboration and jointly sponsor special sessions at IAG Symposia and other workshop/conferences with IGARSS and ION.