The EnMAP Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Mission for Earth Observation
by
Luis Guanter 1,*, Hermann Kaufmann 1, Karl Segl 1, Saskia Foerster 1
, Christian Rogass 1, Sabine Chabrillat 1, Theres Kuester 1, André Hollstein 1, Godela Rossner 2, Christian Chlebek 2, Christoph Straif 2, Sebastian Fischer 2, Stefanie Schrader 2, Tobias Storch 3, Uta Heiden 3, Andreas Mueller 3, Martin Bachmann 3, Helmut Mühle 3, Rupert Müller 3, Martin Habermeyer 3, Andreas Ohndorf 4, Joachim Hill 5, 
Henning Buddenbaum 5, Patrick Hostert 6, Sebastian Van der Linden 6, Pedro J. Leitão 6, Andreas Rabe 6, Roland Doerffer 7, Hajo Krasemann 7, Hongyan Xi 7, Wolfram Mauser 8, Tobias Hank 8, Matthias Locherer 8, Michael Rast 9, Karl Staenz 10 and Bernhard Sang 11
Luis Guanter 1,*, Hermann Kaufmann 1, Karl Segl 1, Saskia Foerster 1, Christian Rogass 1, Sabine Chabrillat 1, Theres Kuester 1, André Hollstein 1, Godela Rossner 2, Christian Chlebek 2, Christoph Straif 2, Sebastian Fischer 2, Stefanie Schrader 2, Tobias Storch 3, Uta Heiden 3, Andreas Mueller 3, Martin Bachmann 3, Helmut Mühle 3, Rupert Müller 3, Martin Habermeyer 3, Andreas Ohndorf 4, Joachim Hill 5, Henning Buddenbaum 5, Patrick Hostert 6, Sebastian Van der Linden 6, Pedro J. Leitão 6, Andreas Rabe 6, Roland Doerffer 7, Hajo Krasemann 7, Hongyan Xi 7, Wolfram Mauser 8, Tobias Hank 8, Matthias Locherer 8, Michael Rast 9, Karl Staenz 10 and Bernhard Sang 11
1
Helmholtz Center Potsdam, GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Remote Sensing Section, Telegrafenberg A17, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
2
Space Administration, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Königswinterer Str. 522-524, 53227 Bonn, Germany
3
Earth Observation Center (EOC), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Münchener Str. 20,82234 Weßling, Germany
4
German Space Operations Center (GSOC), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Münchener Str. 20,82234 Weßling, Germany
5
University of Trier, Environmental Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Behringstr. 21, 54286 Trier, Germany
6
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Geography Department, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
7
Helmholtz-Centre Geesthacht, Institute of Coastal Research, Max Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
8
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Department of Geography, Luisenstr. 37, 80333 Munich, Germany
9
ESA-ESRIN, Via Galileo Galilei, 64, 00044 Frascati Rome, Italy
10
Department of Geography, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
11
OHB System AG, Perchtinger Str. 5, 81379 Munich, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Clement Atzberger and Prasad S. Thenkabail
Remote Sens. 2015, 7(7), 8830-8857; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs70708830
Received: 30 April 2015 / Revised: 23 June 2015 / Accepted: 6 July 2015 / Published: 13 July 2015
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) Mission: Preparing for Its Scientific Exploitation)
Imaging spectroscopy, also known as hyperspectral remote sensing, is based on the characterization of Earth surface materials and processes through spectrally-resolved measurements of the light interacting with matter. The potential of imaging spectroscopy for Earth remote sensing has been demonstrated since the 1980s. However, most of the developments and applications in imaging spectroscopy have largely relied on airborne spectrometers, as the amount and quality of space-based imaging spectroscopy data remain relatively low to date. The upcoming Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) German imaging spectroscopy mission is intended to fill this gap. An overview of the main characteristics and current status of the mission is provided in this contribution. The core payload of EnMAP consists of a dual-spectrometer instrument measuring in the optical spectral range between 420 and 2450 nm with a spectral sampling distance varying between 5 and 12 nm and a reference signal-to-noise ratio of 400:1 in the visible and near-infrared and 180:1 in the shortwave-infrared parts of the spectrum. EnMAP images will cover a 30 km-wide area in the across-track direction with a ground sampling distance of 30 m. An across-track tilted observation capability will enable a target revisit time of up to four days at the Equator and better at high latitudes. EnMAP will contribute to the development and exploitation of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy applications by making high-quality data freely available to scientific users worldwide.
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Keywords:
EnMAP; imaging spectroscopy; hyperspectral remote sensing; environmental applications; Earth observation
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MDPI and ACS Style
Guanter, L.; Kaufmann, H.; Segl, K.; Foerster, S.; Rogass, C.; Chabrillat, S.; Kuester, T.; Hollstein, A.; Rossner, G.; Chlebek, C.; Straif, C.; Fischer, S.; Schrader, S.; Storch, T.; Heiden, U.; Mueller, A.; Bachmann, M.; Mühle, H.; Müller, R.; Habermeyer, M.; Ohndorf, A.; Hill, J.; Buddenbaum, H.; Hostert, P.; Van der Linden, S.; Leitão, P.J.; Rabe, A.; Doerffer, R.; Krasemann, H.; Xi, H.; Mauser, W.; Hank, T.; Locherer, M.; Rast, M.; Staenz, K.; Sang, B. The EnMAP Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Mission for Earth Observation. Remote Sens. 2015, 7, 8830-8857.
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