Application of Target Decomposition Theorems Over Snow-Covered Forested Areas

Author

Trudel, Melanie ; Magagi, Ramata ; Granberg, Hardy B.

Author_Institution

Centre d´´ Applic. et de Rech. en Teledetection (CARTEL), Univ. de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC

Volume

47

Issue

2

fYear

2009

Firstpage

508

Lastpage

512

Abstract

This paper compares two well-known polarimetric decomposition theorems, Cloude-Pottier and Freeman-Durden, applied to L- and C-band Airborne Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR-POLSAR) data acquired during the Cold-Land Processes Field Experiments. Three field campaigns were carried out in February 2002, March 2002, and March 2003 over a snow-covered open terrain, a sparse coniferous forest, and a dense coniferous forest. The analysis evaluates the ability of the two target decomposition methods for the identification and understanding of the main scattering mechanisms.

Keywords

airborne radar; remote sensing by radar; snow; synthetic aperture radar; vegetation; AD 2002 02 to 2003 03; AIRSAR-POLSAR; C-band Airborne Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar; Cloude-Pottier theorem; Cold-Land Processes Field Experiments; Freeman-Durden theorem; L-Airborne Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar; North Colorado; South Wyoming; USA; data acquisition; dense coniferous forest; polarimetric decomposition theorems; scattering mechanisms; snow-covered forested areas; snow-covered open terrain; sparse coniferous forest; target decomposition theorem application; target decomposition theorems; Cold-Land Processes Field Experiments (CLPX); forested areas; polarimetry; scattering mechanisms; snow; target decomposition (TD);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TGRS.2008.2009122

Filename

4768721