Monitoring changes in rice cropping systems using space-borne SAR imagery

Multitemporal ERS and RADARSAT synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images were acquired over the rice cropping areas in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam from May 1997 to May 1998. Thematic classes of rice cropping systems were derived from ERS SAR images. Change in rice cropping system in a traditionally double cropping rainfed rice area was detected. Irrigation canals were recently constructed in this area, enabling a third irrigated crop to be planted during the dry season. The presence of the irrigated crop was detected using SAR images acquired during the dry season. Backscatter time series for ERS and RADARSAT SAR were also compared