Model-based Derivation Of Vegetation And Soil Parameters In Multi-frequency Radar Data Sets

Abstract

A simple semi-empirical backscattering model for the crop-soil system is the CLOUD model. This model accounts for the backscattering of avegetation, modeled as a water cloud, and the backscattercontribution of the soil that is attenuated by one or more canopy layers. In our paper we will illustrate the use of the CLOUD model with scatterometer data from potato and sugar beet crops from the AGRISCATT 88 data set. We have extended the soil backscatter contribution in the CLOUD model to include appropriate soil models for these two types of crops. This extension is necessary to interpret the observed row-direction effect in the potato crop. The parameters derived from the AGRISCAlT data set are compared to results from literature. Using our results, we show the possibility to derive soil and crop parameters from the 1989 MAESTRO-1 data set over the Flevoland agricultural test site.