TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X tools

Read and convert TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X COSAR files

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Two principal functions for accessing Complex SAR data are offered:
readCosFile reads annotations and samples from a version 1 or version 2 COSAR file.

TandDEM2TerraSAR converts a version 2 COSAR file as supplied with TanDEM-X products to a version 1 file as supplied with TerraSAR-X. There will be some loss of precision. At the time of writing, some software such as the Next ESA SAR Toolbox is unable to read version 2 files correctly.

There is also a utility function:

TD2TSall converts all the version 2 files found in a directory hierarchy to version 1 files. The original files are renamed.

The functions should work with multi-burst files, but have only been tested on single-burst files.

They will only run on little-endian machines. At the time of writing, this is not a limitation.

To use this submission, all the functions in the submission must be downloaded and placed on the MATLAB path. The halfprecision mex-file must then be built following the instructions in halfprecision.m.

At present no analysis functions are provided.

Cite As

David Young (2026). TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X tools (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/45956-terrasar-x-and-tandem-x-tools), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved .

General Information

MATLAB Release Compatibility

  • Compatible with any release

Platform Compatibility

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
Version Published Release Notes Action
1.1.0.0

Minor changes to summary and help information; test for little-endian machine; inclusion of Contents.m.

1.0.0.0