The Effect of Orientation Angle Compensation on Coherency Matrix and Polarimetric Target Decompositions

The polarization orientation angle (OA) of the scattering media affects the polarimetric radar signatures. This paper investigates the effects of orientation compensation on the coherency matrix and the scattering-model-based decompositions by Freeman-Durden and Yamaguchi et al. The Cloude and Pottier decomposition is excluded, because entropy, anisotropy, and alpha angle are roll invariant. We will show that, after orientation compensation, the volume scattering power is consistently decreased, while the double-bounce power has increased. The surface scattering power is relatively unchanged, and the helicity power is roll invariant. All of these characteristics can be explained by the compensation effect on the nine elements of the coherency matrix. In particular, after compensation, the real part of the (HH - VV) · HV* correlation reduces to zero, the intensity of cross-pol |HV| always reduces, and |HH - VV| always increases. This analysis also reveals that the common perception that OA compensation would make a reflection asymmetrical medium completely reflection symmetric is incorrect and that, contrary to the general perception, the four-component decomposition does not use the complete information of the coherency matrix. Only six quantities are included - one more than the Freeman-Durden decomposition, which explicitly assumes reflection symmetry.