TY - JOUR
T1 - Microwave electromagnetic modelling of Sahelian grassland
AU - Monsivais-Huertero, A.
AU - Chenerie, I.
AU - Sarabandi, K.
AU - Baup, F.
AU - Mougin, E.
N1 - Funding Information:
A. Monsivais-Huertero was supported by a scholarship from the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT).
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - In this paper radar scattering models based on coherent and incoherent formulations for an African grassland (Sahelian) are examined. The coherent model is used to account for the structure of the grass plants and the results are compared with the same model assuming random placement and orientation of scatters, and the radiative transfer model. The validity of the three models applied to grass vegetation is determined by comparing the model predictions with Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) data gathered in 2005 over Sahelian grassland. The Agoufou site, as defined in the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) project, is selected as the test target and a set of ground data was collected during 2004 and 2005. Through a comprehensive data comparison, it is shown that the coherent scattering model with a generator considering botanical information is the best model to predict the backscattering data that matches Envisat measurements well (correlation 1/4 0.92). At low incidence angles (<30°), the radar backscatter shows a strong dependence on soil moisture variations. The analysis of the different contributions leads to a study of the main scattering mechanisms. For high incidence angles, the backscattering coefficient at HH polarization shows a marked seasonal variation associated with grass presence.
AB - In this paper radar scattering models based on coherent and incoherent formulations for an African grassland (Sahelian) are examined. The coherent model is used to account for the structure of the grass plants and the results are compared with the same model assuming random placement and orientation of scatters, and the radiative transfer model. The validity of the three models applied to grass vegetation is determined by comparing the model predictions with Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) data gathered in 2005 over Sahelian grassland. The Agoufou site, as defined in the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) project, is selected as the test target and a set of ground data was collected during 2004 and 2005. Through a comprehensive data comparison, it is shown that the coherent scattering model with a generator considering botanical information is the best model to predict the backscattering data that matches Envisat measurements well (correlation 1/4 0.92). At low incidence angles (<30°), the radar backscatter shows a strong dependence on soil moisture variations. The analysis of the different contributions leads to a study of the main scattering mechanisms. For high incidence angles, the backscattering coefficient at HH polarization shows a marked seasonal variation associated with grass presence.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77951867345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01431160902926582
DO - 10.1080/01431160902926582
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0143-1161
VL - 31
SP - 1915
EP - 1942
JO - International Journal of Remote Sensing
JF - International Journal of Remote Sensing
IS - 7
ER -