A minor evolution of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 product format, in line with the product format version 3.9, will be introduced on 21 September 2021 for all newly generated products.
A minor evolution of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 product format, in line with the product format version 3.9, will be introduced on 21 September 2021 for all newly generated products.
This evolution will be activated with the deployment of the new instrument processor version 3.4.
Products generated after the deployment of this version will tag version 3.4 of the operational processor in the corresponding product metadata and will be aligned with the new product format specifications 3.9.
The product format specifications for version 3.9 are available in the Document Library together with a set of corresponding sample products allowing users to already start familiarising with the new format.
Some details on the changes introduced in the processor version 3.4 and in the corresponding product format update are highlighted below:
This evolution primarily aims at introducing Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) information in Level-1 SLC and GRD SAR image products. Under the form of a new Annotation Dataset, referred to as the 'RFI ADS’, relevant metadata will be provided in relation to the preliminary detection and/or to the correction of RFIs. The following is further highlighted:
- In a first stage (starting on 21 September) only a preliminary RFI detection will be performed as part of the Level-1 processing for all EW and IW observations and results will be correspondingly annotated in the new ‘RFI ADS’
- Although the intended RFI detection / correction processing is not applicable to SAR Wave observations, the new product format commonly features the 'RFI ADS’ (as well as other additional minor format evolutions) in consistency with every Sentinel-1 SAR Level-1 product. Please refer to the Product Specifications Document for details on the evolutions applicable to the Level-1 products for the different instrument modes.
- At a later stage, RFIs correction on the measurement data set may be activated as part of the Level-1 processing for IW and EW data takes in case RFIs are detected. Users will be notified accordingly before the RFI correction is activated.
It is also highlighted that the new format features additional minor evolutions regarding Level-2 products.