Use of ERS-1 SAR data for ricefield mapping and rice crop parameters retrieval

The objective of the paper is to assess the use of ERS-1 SAR data for identification of rice growing areas and monitoring of rice growth. The approach includes an examination of experimental results obtained at two geographical locations where rice growth conditions are different: short cycle tropical rice in Indonesia and long cycle temperate rice in Japan. The experimental data show a comparable temporal increase of the radar backscatter at both sites. An algorithm has been developed for rice field mapping and for retrieving of rice crop parameters