Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

In this RADARSAT-2 Fine Quad-Pol image, the community of Iqaluit can be seen on the northern shores of Koojesse inlet - an inlet of Frobisher Bay, southeast Baffin Island. The image was acquired January 7, 2008 and is a composite of the three radar data channels (HH, VV, HV) displayed in a red-green-blue colour scheme. The scene is ~25km x 28km, with 8m nominal resolution.

The Iqaluit airport runway is the dark linear feature located beside the community. For the most part, Frobisher Bay is ice-covered; however due to large tidal variations, areas of open water are visible along the shoreline as well as in the Bay. RADARSAT-2 is an excellent tool for monitoring leads and open water – providing critical information for safety and navigational needs.

The land clearly shows the striations typical of glaciated terrain. High-resolution and polarimetric responses provide information for the detailed mapping of terrain features, surface structure and variations in surface topology.

This image was acquired early in the commissioning phase.

RADARSAT-2 Data and Products © MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (2008) - All Rights Reserved.