Conference Agenda

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) BIOMASS mission represents the first spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) operating at P-band, providing an unprecedented perspective for Earth observation. It is also the first mission to systematically utilize SAR tomography for three-dimensional mapping of terrestrial structures. While its primary objective is to investigate the global biosphere, the mission also offers significant potential for imaging subsurface geological structures in arid regions.

This paper presents a preliminary interferometric analysis of ESA BIOMASS data over desert regions. After its launch, the satellite entered a six-month commissioning phase, during which it collected repeat-pass interferometric pairs with a three-day revisit cycle and a range of spatial baselines, from near-zero to variable separations. Using a straightforward regional InSAR processing approach, the resulting interferograms yields the following initial findings: (i) time-series BIOMASS interferometric data with nearly zero spatial baselines and three-day temporal separation enable the detection of spatiotemporal sand dune movements through interferometric phase measurements; (ii) BIOMASS interferometric data with appropriate spatial baselines facilitate elevation estimation of potential subsurface structures at a study site in the eastern Sahara. These preliminary results indicate that the interferometric capabilities of BIOMASS mission may unlock new opportunities for desert environment research. A thorough analysis will follow upon completion of precise calibration and rigorous validation.