The goal of this project is to provide subsets of SAR data for selected field sites, such as carbon and heat flux tower stations, to increase terrestrial ecology users' understanding of SAR data and promote its use. Subsets of PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensor data from the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) are provided for selected field sites in GeoTIFF format. The subsets are provided in collaboration with Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

The data can be used for a number of purposes

• Validate the SAR measurements using FLUX tower site characterization data
• Examine the impacts of vegetation dynamics on climate
• Understand human impacts on vegetation at a local scale
• Detect deforestation and forest degradation
• Map and differentiate forest growth stages and change
• Retrieve woody biomass and structural attributes; and
• Characterize, map and monitor ecoregions such as mangroves and wetlands.