Examination of forest polarimetric backscattering with coherent cylinder model

In this work a coherent backscattering model for cylinders has been employed to simulate L-band and C-band polarimetric backscattering form a pine forest. Scattering covariance matrix, entropy, alpha angle, polarimetric coherence and temporal coherence are calculated and compared with SAR measurements. The results show that direct backscattering from tree crowns is an important scattering mechanism. Realistic ground reflection modelling was shown to be very important. By simulating the tree growth, general agreement between the known biomass and backscattering parameters was achieved.