ASTER User Handbook

ASTER Users Handbook
• One-time coverage
• High sun angle
• Optimum gain for the local land surface
• Minimum snow and ice cover
• Minimum vegetation cover, and
• No more than 20% cloud cover (perhaps more for special sub-regions).
Allocation of Science Data
At the present time, it is expected that approximately 25% of ASTER resources will be allocated
to Local Observations, 50% to Regional Monitoring, and 25% to the Global Map.
Global Map data has been further sub-divided among high priority areas which are currently
allocated 25%, medium priority areas which are currently allocated 50%, and low priority areas
which are currently allocated 25%.
Regional Monitoring data sets and the Global Map will be acquired by ASTER in response to
acquisition requests submitted by the ASTER Science Team acting on behalf of the science
community. These Science Team Acquisition Requests (STARs) are submitted directly to the
ASTER Ground Data System in Japan. Under limited circumstances, STARs for Local
Observations may also be submitted by the Science Team.
STARs for Regional Monitoring data are submitted by the ASTER Science Team only after a
proposal for the Regional Monitoring task has been submitted and accepted. These "STAR
Proposals" will be evaluated by ASTER's science working groups before being formally
submitted to the Science Team.
An already-authorized ASTER User, who wants ASTER to acquire far more data than he or she
is allocated, may submit a STAR Proposal to the Science Team. Please note that the process for
evaluating STAR proposals is cumbersome and time-consuming. Far fewer STAR Proposals
will be approved than ASTER User Authorization Proposals.
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