Spatially explicit modeling of radar backscatter from forest canopies

Guoqing Sun; K. Jon Ranson

doi:10.1117/12.200733

31 January 1995 Spatially explicit modeling of radar backscatter from forest canopies

Guoqing Sun, K. Jon Ranson

Proceedings Volume 2314, Multispectral and Microwave Sensing of Forestry, Hydrology, and Natural Resources; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.200733
Event: Satellite Remote Sensing, 1994, Rome, Italy

Abstract

This paper describes a model that characterizes a forest canopy with three-dimensional structure and considers the spatial position of tree and ground surface components. A forest stand is modeled as an array of cubes. A cube may make up a portion of crown, trunk, gap, and ground surface components as determined by the shape, size, and position of trees. The model uses ray tracing to calculate the scattering from the forest scene as (1) direct crown backscatter, (2) direct trunk backscatter, (3) direct soil surface backscatter, (4) trunk-ground scatter, and (5) crown-ground scatter. An image was produced from elements of the backscatter Stokes matrices calculated for each image pixel. The sensitivity of the model to the spatial pattern of forest stands was tested by modeling radar backscattering coefficients from two simulated 1-ha forest stands with the same trees, but positioned differently. A detailed data set including tree species, size, and position for a 200 by 150 m area of spruce forest in Maine, USA was used to parameterize the model. Model results compared favorably to JPL AIRSAR data over this stand.

Citation Download Citation

Guoqing Sun and K. Jon Ranson "Spatially explicit modeling of radar backscatter from forest canopies", Proc. SPIE 2314, Multispectral and Microwave Sensing of Forestry, Hydrology, and Natural Resources, (31 January 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.200733

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