Coupling radiative transfer and soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer models for combined optical-microwave remote sensing of vegetation

Different wavelength domains can be used for analysing the biophysical processes of vegetation canopies, especially evapotranspiration, transpiration and photosynthesis. To study the synergy between spectral reflectances, thermal infrared, passive and active microwaves, two models have been coupled: one SVAT (Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Transfer) model and another for microwave radiative transfers (MRT) within the canopy. The first model was designed by Olioso (1992) in order to relate canopy processes to spectral reflectances and thermal infrared brightness temperature. The second was designed by Wigneron (1993) in order to simulate microwave emission and backscattering from a vegetation canopy