Expected performance of a polarimetric bistatic radar for monitoring vegetation

Several experimental and theoretical studies have shown that the use of active systems for monitoring plant biomass suffers from saturation problems. This contribution considers the possibility of overcoming this limit by means of a bistatic configuration. The relevant features of bistatic scattering, from both forests and non-arboreous vegetation, are discussed by carrying out a simulation analysis based on the model developed at Tor Vergata. This electromagnetic model, already validated against active and passive data, has been modified to yield the bistatic scattering coefficient. In particular, the cases of a coniferous forest and of a sunflower field have been considered