Scattering from a cluster of plant or tree components: Analysis of the interaction effect

Vegetation scattering problems in L band contain plant or tree components in the near field of each other. In this case, the interleaf or inter-branch interaction effect becomes more significant. In this paper, scattering properties from a cluster of plant or tree components are analyzed to study the interaction effect in the cluster. A numerical approach, the Discrete Dipole Approximation, is applied to find the scattering amplitude of the cluster. Numerical results of bistatic cross sections including the mutual interaction effect are compared with those results not taking the interaction into account. The interaction effect in a cluster of plant or tree components is presented in the examples given in this paper.