An assessment of ALOS L-band polarimetry for land-use monitoring in Malawi

In this paper we investigate the advantages of using full quadpol low frequency radar imaging data for large area land-use classification and forest biomass estimation. We employ multiple PALSAR data sets over test sites in Malawi, Africa, where we have extensive in-situ measurements and ground campaigns for validation. We show how L-band PLR modes show great potential for quantitative land use applications and important sensitivity to above ground biomass.