Application of Cloude's target decomposition theorem to polarimetric imaging radar data

摘要

Abstract: In this paper we applied Cloude's decomposition toimaging radar polarimetry. We show in detail how thedecomposition results can guide the interpretation ofscattering from vegetated area. For multi-frequencypolarimetric radar measurements of a clearcut area, thedecomposition leads us to conclude that the vegetationis probably thin compared to even the C-band radarwavelength of 6 cm. For a forested area, we notice anincreased amount of even number of reflectionscattering at P-band and L-band, probably the result ofpenetration through the coniferous canopy resulting intrunk-ground double reflection scattering. Thescattering for the forested area is still dominated byscattering from randomly oriented cylinders, however.It is found that these cylinders are thicker than inthe case of clearcut areas, leading us to conclude thatscattering from the branches probably dominate in thiscase.!8