Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

This RADARSAT-2 image of Vancouver Lower Mainland, was acquired January 6, 2008 using the Ultra-Fine beam mode, in HH polarization. The scene is ~ 20km x 36km, with 3m resolution. The city of Vancouver is visible in the upper part of the image.

The three call-outs to the right of the image demonstrate the increased information content provided by high-resolution radar imaging. The top call-out shows five cargo ships in English Bay – structural detail of the cargo holds is evident. The bright return from the stern is due to the strong radar response from the superstructure of the ship.

The middle call-out shows the increased detail available over the Vancouver Airport. The thin bright line feature coming in from the right hand side is the new rapid transit Canada Line currently under construction for the 2010 Olympics. More information can also be extracted from the airport terminal buildings and loading gates.

The bottom call-out shows the added detail provided by 3m imaging, which enables greater differentiation of the agriculture fields under different management practices and moisture conditions.

This image was acquired early in the commissioning phase, prior to any adjustment of the radar gain settings.

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