Biomass retrieval from P-band polarimetric and interferometric SAR data, challenges and recent results

In the frame of the Biomass mission activities, this paper presents the challenges and recent results in the retrieval of forest biomass from polarimetric (PolSAR) and interferometric (PolInSAR) P-band SAR data. During the mission Phase A, critical issues in the biomass retrieval algorithms in boreal and tropical forests have been identified and addressed. In boreal forest, multi polarization backscatter data can be used to mitigate much of the variability due to environment effects. In high biomass tropical forest, because of the low sensitivity of the backscatter to biomass, appropriate correction methods were developed to mitigate the disturbing effects. Also to enhance the retrieval results, a combination of PolSAR and PolInSAR methods was proposed.