SEASONAL VARIATION IN BACKSCATTERING FROM AGRICULTURAL LANDS ON RADAR IMAGERY

Abstract

The results of the study of the effective scattering area (ESA) of agricultural lands on drained peat bogs in the Ryazan' section of the Meshchera Lowland during different observation periods are presented. An experimental radar survey was made during spring-summer 1986-1987 by means of a side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) at a wavelength of 2.5 cm. In the processing of radar survey materials, the water surface of inland water bodies was used as a reference level. Invariant calibration curves and comparable quantitative estimates of the relative effective scattering areas for different agricultural features (open soils, pastures, sown fields of grain, and cultivated crops) were obtained for five survey times.