The ERS-1 (ESA Remote Sensing Satellite) Programme of the European Space Agency: Its Applications to Mineral and Marine Resources, Meteorology, Climatology, and Oceanography,

In October 1981, the Member States of the European Space Agency decided to initiate the first ESA Remote Sensing Satellite ERS-1 Programme. The first mission is oriented towards ice and ocean monitoring and the main mission objectives are of both scientific and economic nature to increase the scientific understanding of coastal zones and ocean processes and to develop and promote economic applications related to a better knowledge of ocean parameters and sea-state conditions. The payload of ERS-1 is composed of 1 an Active Microwave Instrumentation AMI, combining the functions of a Synthetic Aperture Radar SAR, a Wave Scatterometer and a Wind Scatterometer, primarily for the measurement of wind field and wave-spectra and for all-weather imaging 2 a Radar Altimeter RA, primarily for the measurement of significant wave heights and of major ocean currents and 3 an additional instrument to be selected as a result of an Announcement of Opportunity issued in the scientific community of the participating States. The paper presents the different parameters to be extracted from the system and their potential contributions to the effective utilisation of remote sensing techniques in the fields of petroleum of remote sensing techniques in the fields of petroleum and mineral resources, meteorology, climatology, oceanography and marine resources. Author