# PALSAR-2
*sensor . products*

Active phased-array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, sole imaging payload of the ALOS-2 satellite. Operated by JAXA, built by Mitsubishi Electric. Operates at L-band (centre frequency 1257.5 MHz, wavelength about 23.84 cm), enabling deep canopy penetration for tropical forest disturbance detection. Six resolution modes (Spotlight, Stripmap Ultrafine/High-Sensitive/Fine, ScanSAR Normal/Wide). Backbone of the JJ-FAST tropical deforestation alert system and JAXA's Annual Forest/Non-Forest Mosaic.

## Specifications
- **product status**: operational
- **manufacturer**: jaxa
- **sensor**: {"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"L","centre_frequency_mhz":1257.5,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":84,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","HH+HV","VV+VH","HH+HV+VH+VV"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[8,70],"transmit_power_w":6100,"antenna_length_m":9.9,"swath_km":350,"modes":[{"name":"ScanSAR Normal","resolution_range_m":100,"swath_km":350,"polarisation":"HH or HH+HV"},{"name":"ScanSAR Wide","resolution_range_m":60,"swath_km":490,"polarisation":"HH or HH+HV"},{"name":"Stripmap Fine","resolution_range_m":10,"swath_km":40,"polarisation":"HH or VV or HH+HV or VV+VH"},{"name":"Stripmap High-Sensitive","resolution_range_m":6,"swath_km":50},{"name":"Stripmap Ultrafine","resolution_range_m":3,"swath_km":50},{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":3,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":25}],"notes":"Centre frequency 1257.5 MHz nominal (selectable 1236.5/1257.5/1278.5 MHz). Bandwidth selectable 14/28/42/84 MHz. Antenna 2.9 m x 9.9 m, 180 TRMs, instrument mass about 657 kg. PRF approximately 2250 Hz. Side-looking, switchable right or left."}
- **last verified date**: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
- **verified by**: sw
- **claim status**: agency-verified
- **deployment context**: orbital

## Compositional position
- alos-2 (missions) --[mission_payloads]--> PALSAR-2

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/palsar-2
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)