Decomposition of Polarimetirc Scattering of Paddy Rice

This paper reports the effects of the probability distribution of the target shape to the results of four-component decomposition. The four-component decomposition method decomposes polarimetric microwave data into four components, i.e. surface scattering, double bounce scattering, volume scattering and helix scattering. Prior to the present research, three dimensional structure of the rice was measured and modeled. The model was used to calculate the probability density function of the rice leaves at a viewpoint of arbitrary zenith and azimuth angles. With this probability density function, a covariance matrix of volume scattering for the rice was developed. This covariance matrix was embedded in the four-component decomposition, and it was applied for the polarimetric X-band scattering data of rice, measured in an anechoic radio wave chamber in Niigata Univ. during September 25 to 26, 2007. It was found that the proposed four-component decomposition produced more volume scattering and less surface scattering than the results produced by the standard four-component analysis. As a result, it is concluded that the probability distribution to the target shape should be considered.