EnMAP A Hyperspectral Sensor for Environmental Mapping and Analysis

The environmental mapping and analysis program (EnMAP) is a joint response of German Earth observation research institutions, value-adding (VA) resellers and space industry to the increasing demand on accurate, quantitative information about the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems. With its hyperspectral capabilities covering the visible, near- and short-wave infrared wavelengths, EnMAP will provide high quality, standardized, and consistent data on a timely and frequent basis. Its primary focus will be on the considerable improvement of already standardized products and the development of new quantitative and subsequently highly informative data and its derivatives. Only an imaging spectrometer, such as the EnMAP, can resolve and detect biophysical, biochemical, and geochemical variables in distinct detail. This will tremendously increase our understanding of coupled biospheric and geospheric processes and thus, enable the management and ensure the sustainability of our vital resources. After a competitive and successfully accomplished phase A, EnMAP has been approved by the German Aerospace Agency in the beginning of 2006. The instrument performance allows for a detailed monitoring, characterisation and parameter extraction of vegetation targets, rock/soils, and inland and coastal waters on a global scale. By the scientific lead of the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ) and the industrial prime ship of Kayser-Threde, the ongoing planning aims towards an internationalisation of the mission approach. The EnMAP instrument provides information based on 218 contiguous spectral bands in the wavelength range from 420 nm to 2450 nm. It is characterized by a SNR of > 500:1 in the VNIR and >150:1 in the SWIR range at a ground resolution of 30 m times 30 m. A national and international broad science and application community can draw from an extensive and highly resolved pool of information, supporting the modeling and optimization process on their results. Operation- - of an airborne system (ARES - a joint venture of DLR and GFZ), starting in 2006, and the evolution of data handling and extraction procedures will further support this process.