{"id":524,"date":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=524"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","slug":"nisars-l-band-radar-reveals-hummingbird-in-antarctica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=524","title":{"rendered":"NISAR\u2019s L-Band Radar Reveals \u2018Hummingbird\u2019 in Antarctica"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"p-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-row grid-container-block padding-0\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-3 desktop:padding-right-5 desktop:padding-left-3 padding-top-3\">\n<div class=\"publish-date meta-item grid-row flex-align-center border-bottom padding-y-2\"><time class=\"\">07\/21\/2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-9 desktop:padding-left-9 desktop:padding-right-3 desktop:padding-top-3 usa-article-content\">\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-module wp-block-smd-block-post-meta\">\n<div class=\"CustomFields hds-module\">\n<div class=\"CustomFields hds-media \">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-featured-file-list bg-spacesuit-white padding-x-2 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-4 padding-y-5 desktop:padding-y-6 hds-module align wp-block-nasa-blocks-file-list\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row width-full margin-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col display-flex flex-align-center desktop:flex-justify-end\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">NISAR\u2019s L-Band Radar Reveals \u2018Hummingbird\u2019 in Antarctica<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">PNG (43.77 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download NISAR\u2019s L-Band Radar Reveals \u2018Hummingbird\u2019 in Antarctica\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26617\/PIA26617.png\" target=\"_blank\" download><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">PIA26617 Figure A<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">JPEG (29.10 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download PIA26617 Figure A\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26617\/figures\/PIA26617_figA.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" download><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Data from the Earth-orbiting U.S.-India NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite\u2019s L-band radar was used to produce an image of Nunatak Zaterjavshijsja \u2014 a mountaintop in East Antarctica \u2014 poking out amid a stream of ice flowing northeast to the ocean. The obstruction causes stresses in the ice, heavily fracturing the surrounding surfaces with deep cracks, called crevasses, which show as sharp green lines in the image. Produced in August 2025, the image has been nicknamed \u201cthe hummingbird\u201d by NISAR scientists.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The colors show differences in the way polarized microwave signals, which vibrate in different directions, interact with and reflect from the ice. Over Antarctica, NISAR transmits radar waves toward Earth with a horizontal polarization. The orientation of the signals that return, either horizontal, vertical, or both, provide clues about the object or surface that reflected them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Signals that come back with a horizontal polarization likely bounced off a more regular surface, such as smooth ice. Those signals appear magenta in the image. Signals that return with vertical polarization may have refracted as they partially penetrated the ice or scattered at different angles as they reflected off irregular surfaces, like the faces of crevasses. Called volume scattering, these observations are displayed in green.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The white represents areas in which both magenta and green signals scatter back strongly, a possible indication that there is an equal blend of surface and volume scattering.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26617\/figures\/PIA26617_figA.jpg?w=4200&amp;h=3300&amp;fit=clip&amp;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\"><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Figure A<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Figure A is an annotated version of image.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managed by Caltech, NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the United States component of the project and provided the satellite\u2019s L-band SAR and antenna reflector. The spacecraft bus and its S-band SAR were provided by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The NISAR satellite is the first to carry two SAR instruments at different wavelengths, collecting data using the spacecraft\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/giant-radar-antenna-reflector-on-nasa-isro-satellite-in-full-bloom\/\">giant drum-shaped reflector<\/a>, which measures 39 feet (12 meters) wide \u2014 the largest radar antenna reflector NASA has ever sent into space.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To learn more about NISAR, visit:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/nisar\/\"><strong>https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/nisar\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover More Topics From Photojournal<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/search\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/latest\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/feedback\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"edit-post-link\"><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/nisars-l-band-radar-reveals-hummingbird-in-antarctica\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NASA Science<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/nisars-l-band-radar-reveals-hummingbird-in-antarctica\/\">NASA Science<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Description Data from the Earth-orbiting U.S.-India NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite\u2019s L-band radar was used to produce an image of Nunatak Zaterjavshijsja \u2014 a mountaintop in East Antarctica \u2014 poking out amid a stream of ice flowing northeast to the ocean. The obstruction causes stresses in the ice, heavily fracturing the surrounding surfaces with&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-space-nasa-photos-visual-records"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=524"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":695,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524\/revisions\/695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}