Reading RCM data problem

I have downloaded 3 SAR RCM data products from the Canadian Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS). The RCM Product reader of SNAP cannot open the data. The error message says:
ogr.csa.rstb.io.rcm.RCMProductReader [input:…HH_HV_GRD.zip]: The Product "RCM2_" already contains a band with the name ‘Intensity_HH’.

I have installed the latest version of SNAP (8.0). Anybody has had this problem before?

I am experiencing this same problem right now, with the latest version of SNAP (8.0) installed.

Since my other post was closed (but this post has not been addressed)

Hi there,

I wanted to report that RCM data downloads from EODMS cannot be opened using v 8.0 of SNAP. For some files, when I open using the “manifest_safe” file, or the .zip file I get the response "The Product RCM… already contains a band with the name “i_HH2” for instance. These are SLC files with single, dual, quad, or compact pol bands stored as tifs in the imagery folder.

For files with imagery stored as .ntf, I can open the data using the “manifest_safe” file, but can only view Quicklooks of the acquisition, not the band imagery (i or q arrays).

Am I doing something wrong here?

Hello all,

The use of RCM data appear to be short threads that tend to be unresolved. Can anyone point me to documentation pertaining to the use of RCM products, including SLC, in SNAP? I have seen moderator comments that RCM code will be released, but again an old thread. New issues appear to have arisen in v8. Just looking for an update, should there be one.

Hi,

I’m pretty much in the same boat, so I’m just bumping up this thread with the hopes that there’s any response or new information.

No new responses from SNAP. It seems as though this is an issue that is not planned on being resolved. Can anyone explain whether I’m wrong on this? Why won’t anyone involved in the Dev process acknowledge this as an issue?

Open the manifest.safe file and it opens RCM products. I also had struggles opening RCM products, but it seems to be working now.

I’m pretty much getting the same result:

Was there an update to the application or plugins that I missed?

This is a related thread: RCM 30 meter compact pol ScanSAR SLC debusting Note that some of the finer resolution RCM products can be imported in–e.g., 5MCP or Medium Resolution 16M SLC, but the medium resolution SC30M cannot be imported into SNAP yet. I have not looked into others - it would be helpful to have a list of what is working and to know if there is progress being made on the other resolution products (I imagine people are working on it).

I tried opening various RCM products in SNAP (8.0) with variable results. Here are the methods I’ve used:
GRD products: simply drag and drop the .zip file in SNAP’s Product Explorer panel.
MLC products: unzip, open the directory and navigate to the /metadata/ subdirectory. drag and drop the product.xml file in SNAP’s Product Explorer panel. Note that using the manifest.safe does not work.
SLC products: nothing works, neither drag-and-dropping the zip, manifest.safe or the product.xml files.

Hi All, when I experienced this error in the past (“product already contains band”) with RCM data, I was able to fix this by unzipping the .zip file, before opening the dataset. After unzipping the zip file, I would open the manifest.SAFE file. Does that resolve the issue on your end? Best regards,
Ashlin

On my end (SNAP 8.0 on Ubuntu 22.04 or Windows 10), unzipping and opening the manifest.safe file does work for the MLC products, but not for SLC (I tried a few different ones).

You should always use import if it is available for the sensor in question.

Unfortunately, for the SLC product, Import/SAR Sensors/RCM also fails.

Fascinating, @bstonge can you share an example of an SLC that does not work? Am a vetted user, if you send the frame ID, date/time, mode and coordinates I could try to reproduce the issue and report back to you if it opens for me cheers

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Thanks again,

Here are two SLC products as example of files which do not open. Hopefully this is enough for you to trace them. I’m looking at recent SLC scenes in medium resolution and CH CV polarization in southern British Columbia (actually, I’m also looking at MLC scenes, which do open, but the compact pol is not recognized by SNAP).

RCM2_OK1955773_PK2115388_1_SC30MCPB_20220605_014213_CH_CV_SLC
Product ID: 13553405

RCM2_OK1955773_PK2113730_1_SC30MCPA_20220604_013410_CH_CV_SLC
Product ID: 13550430

Cheers,

Benoit

Thanks Benoit,
Are you able to open Compact-pol RCM SLC data in a different mode, for example the “Strip-map” mode?

By the way, the “Compact-Pol ScanSAR 30m Resolution 125km Swath B” is a “ScanSAR” mode. You can tell this format from the SC30MCPB part of the string.

As far as I know, SC30MCPB data can only be processed by special “debursting” software developed at Canada Centre of Remote Sensing (CCRS) which is closed source and to my knowledge available to partners internal to Government of Canada only. That is, if you really needed to access this type of data, you might be able to get a federal government partner to pre-process it to a standard that can be shared with you (according to the data use agreement).

Alternately, you might be able to write your own debursting algortihm. I don’t see any other options for using the SC30 data at this time, hopefully the processing will become more widely available or other options will come up

PS hopefully the other SLC data opens fine for you?
cheers
Ashlin

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Hi Ashlin,

It’s good to know that the software specific to the MLC ScanSAR processing is probably only available through CCRS (I’ll ask these guys).

The specific product I am trying to process is the MLC 30 m due to this (large systematic coverage announcement by the RCM team earlier this month):
“New Canadian Land coverage coast to coast in 30m resolution, twice a month is available since April 1st.
o Active from April to December of each year
o Parameters: 12-d revisit, Med Res 30m, Compact Polarization, MLC format (32-bit)”

So trying to crack the SLC open for me would not help with the core issue as I need to process MLC.

I’ll enquire at the Canadian Space Agency (RCM division) and at CCRS. I’ll post back if I make any progress with their help.

All the best,

Benoît

Thanks so much Benoit, so the MLC 30m is the new systematic coverage? Planning to look at that one as well, would appreciate hearing any details that you find out from the CSA or CCRS. Thanks again all the best
Ash

Thank you bstonge and ashlin and others on this thread for providing a bread crumb trail to follow and your experiences. The CP 30 m SLC data in Canada are abundant and important.

bstonge, I’ll echo ashlin’s interest in the outcomes of your pursuits. I was advised by a person in smartEarth that the CSA is not in the position to change data formats. Taken at face value this thread suggests all roads lead to NRCan/EODMS. This challenge appears outside of the adept and responsive SNAP dev team, hence their silence.

I’ll update this thread should any helpful information arise.
Paul

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