TanDEM-X: The 4D Mission Phase for Earth Surface Dynamics: Science activities highlights and new data products after 15 years of bistatic operations
Hajnsek I, Busche T, Abdullahi S, Bachmann M, Baumgartner SV, Bojarski A, Bueso-Bello JL, Esch T, Fritz T, Alonso-Gonzalez A, Gonzalez C, Huang L, Kraus T, Lachaise M, Li S, Lopez Dekker F, Maier K, Martone M, Milillo P, Mittermayer J, Nannini M, Papathanassiou K, Pardini M, Pinheiro M, Prats-Iraola P, Rizzoli P, Rodriguez-Cassola M, Roth A, Schandri M, Scheiber R, Steinbrecher U, Schweisshelm B, Villano M, Warmedinger LJ, Wessel B, Krieger G, Zink M, Moreira A (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
DOI: 10.1109/MGRS.2024.3525403
Abstract
The main goal of the TerraSAR-X Add-On for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM-X) mission is the generation of a global digital elevation model (DEM) of unprecedented accuracy and coverage. The global TanDEM-X DEM product became available in 2016, surpassed all expectations, and became a reference for a wide range of Earth science, commercial, and geospatial applications. In addition, new information products, such as DEM change maps (DCMs), have been developed and are available to the geoscience and remote sensing community. Beyond the operational products, new science applications have been demonstrated and are summarized in this article, along with experimental data acquisitions. This article also aims to provide an overview of science activities with TanDEM-X data and science data acquisitions planned for the coming years.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) / German Aerospace Center
Germany (DE)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
United States (USA) (US)
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Germany (DE)
University of Maryland, College Park (UMD)
United States (USA) (US)
European Space Agency (ESA)
France (FR)
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ) / Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich
Switzerland (CH)
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
Netherlands (NL)
University of Houston
United States (USA) (US)
University College London (UCL)
United Kingdom (GB)
Germany (DE)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
United States (USA) (US)
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Germany (DE)
University of Maryland, College Park (UMD)
United States (USA) (US)
European Space Agency (ESA)
France (FR)
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ) / Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich
Switzerland (CH)
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
Netherlands (NL)
University of Houston
United States (USA) (US)
University College London (UCL)
United Kingdom (GB)
How to cite
APA:
Hajnsek, I., Busche, T., Abdullahi, S., Bachmann, M., Baumgartner, S.V., Bojarski, A.,... Moreira, A. (2025). TanDEM-X: The 4D Mission Phase for Earth Surface Dynamics: Science activities highlights and new data products after 15 years of bistatic operations. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine. https://doi.org/10.1109/MGRS.2024.3525403
MLA:
Hajnsek, Irena, et al. "TanDEM-X: The 4D Mission Phase for Earth Surface Dynamics: Science activities highlights and new data products after 15 years of bistatic operations." IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine (2025).
BibTeX: Download