TerraSAR-X: New RADAR satellite maps England flood
In June 2007, heavy and long lasting precipitation caused by an extreme weather situation led to large-area flooding in parts of Great Britain. An extensive cyclone remained over Wales and England for days. Thus, in the counties Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and in the Midlands, the highest preciptiation within a decade was registered at a number of meteorological stations.
The German satellite TerraSAR-X, with its one-meter resoltution, provides a new quality regarding the assessment of flooded surfaces since it was launched this June and mapped the extension of the flooded areas first on July 3. The satellite, which is still in its commissioning phase, is commonly operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Infoterra Germany within a private-public partnership.
At the end of July, extensive flooding occured in England once more, whereupon the counties Worcestershire, Gloucestershire und Oxfordshire were affected most. For this situation, the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) at DLR provided map products again. Thus, the outstanding suitability of TerraSAR-X data for the assessment of flooded areas could be proven again.
In conjunction with both floodings, the Environment Agency of the UK trigged the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'. Within this framework, data of the satellites Envisat (ASAR) and Radarsat were provided and processed to satellite image maps by ZKI.
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