1. BACKGROUND
Fugro EarthData and ESRI Canada have a strategic partnership and global distribution
agreement to deliver PurVIEW worldwide. Fugro EarthData operates GeoSAR, a dual-band
IFSAR. PurVIEW is an integrated image display and viewing plug-in software application
that incorporates stereoscopic viewing capabilities for the ESRI ArcGIS Desktop. PurVIEW
requires no specialized training, making it easy to classify GeoSAR X- and P-band data into
geo-spatial features. GeoSAR combined with PurVIEW creates a highly effective system for
developing large-area topographic maps.
1.1 Fugro EarthData’s GeoSAR System
GeoSAR is a dual-sided, dual-frequency IFSAR mapping system. The system is integrated
onto a Gulfstream II business jet and is wholly owned by Fugro EarthData, Incorporated,
located in Frederick, Maryland USA. GeoSAR is capable of collecting data from 13
kilometers above ground level at an airspeed of over 400 knots, yielding a net collection rate
of 288 square kilometers per minute. The SAR operates at two frequencies simultaneously:
X-band with a center frequency of 9700MHz, and P-band with a center frequency of
350MHZ.