Decomposition methods for the estimation of bare soil surface parameters using fully polarimetric SAR data 1

This study wants to demonstrate that two different polarimetric target decomposition methods can improve SAR data accuracy for estimating the parameters of bare soil surface. To achieve this goal, two experiments are conducted: (1) both Freeman and Cloude decomposition methods are performed on JPL/AIRSAR L-band fully polarimetric data; and (2) Advanced Integral Equation Model (AIEM) is used to simulate backscatting coefficients. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) of σ0hh, σ0vv between original data and AIEM simulated data are 1.96 and 1.25 dB. However, if Cloude method is used to decompose original data, the RMSEs will be reduced to 1.45 and 1.14dB, respectively; for Freeman method, the RMSEs are 1.64 and 1.35 dB. Therefore, polarimetric target decomposition compensation, especially Cloude method, can help to improve the accuracy of SAR data for estimating the parameters of bare soil surface.