• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.154-157
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• 1999

Microwave polarimetric backscattering from a wet soil surface had been measured using a Ku-band polarimetric scatterometer at the incidence angles ranging from 10$^{\circ}$ to 70$^{\circ}$ Since the accurate target parameters as well as the radar parameters are necessary for radar scattering modeling, a complete and accurate set of ground truth data were also collected, from which accurate measurements were made of the rms height, correlation length, and dielectric constant. The measured polarimetric backscattering coefficients (vv-, hh-, vh-, hv-polarizations) were compared with theoretical models and empirical models. A new semi-empirical model for microwave polarimetric radar backscattering from bare soil surfaces was developed using polarimetric radar measurements and the knowledge based on the theoretical and numerical solutions. The model was found to yield very good agreement with the backscattering measurements of this study.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.183-188
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• 2005

A simple microwave backscattering model for vegetation canopies on earth surfaces is developed in this study. A natural earth surface is modeled as a two-layer structure comprising a vegetation layer and a ground layer. This scattering model includes various scattering mechanisms up to the first-order multiple scattering( double-bounce scattering). Radar backscatter from ground surface has been modeled by the polarimetric semi-empirical model (PSEM), while the backscatter from the vegetation layer modeled by the vector radiative transfer model. The vegetation layer is modeled by random distribution of mixed scattering particles, such as leaves, branches and trunks. The number of input parameters has been minimized to simplify the scattering model. The computation results are compared with the experimental measurements, which were obtained by ground-based scatterometers and NASA/JPL air-borne synthetic aperture radar(SAR) system. It was found that the scattering model agrees well with the experimental data, even though the model used only ten input parameters.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.324-327
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• 2008

Microwave remote sensing has great potential, especially in monsoon Asia, since optical observations are often hampered by cloudy conditions. The radar backscattering characteristics of rice crop were investigated with a ground-based automatic scatterometer system. The system was installed inside a shelter in an experimental paddy field at the National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (NIAST) before transplanting. The rice cultivar was a kind of Japonica type, called Chuchung. The scatterometer system consists of X-band antennas, HP8720D vector network analyzer, RF cables, and a personal computer that controls frequency, polarization and data storage. This system automatically measures fully-polarimatric backscattering coefficients of rice crop every 10 minutes, accompanied by a digital camera that takes pictures in a fixed position with the same interval. The backscattering coefficients were calculated by applying a radar equation. Plant variables, such as leaf area index (LAI), biomass, plant height and weather conditions were measured periodically throughout the rice growth season. We have performed polarimetric decomposition of paddy data such as single, double and volume scattering to extract the scattering information effectively. We investigated the relationships between backscattering coefficients and the plant variables.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.235-241
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• 2014

A ground-based microwave scatterometer has an advantage for monitoring soil moisture content using multi-polarization, multi-frequencies and various incidence angles. In this paper, ground-based multi-frequency (L-, C-, and X-band) polarimetric scatterometer system capable of making observations every 10 min was used to monitor the soil moisture conditions in a corn field over an entire growth cycle. Measurements of volumetric soil moisture were obtained and their relationships to the backscatter observations were examined. Time series of soil moisture content was not corresponding with backscattering coefficient pattern over the whole growth stage, although it increased until early July (Day Of Year, DOY 160). We examined the relationship between the backscattering coefficients from each band and soil moisture content of the field. Backscattering coefficients for all bands were not correlated with soil moisture content when considered over the entire stage ($r{\leq}0.48$). However, L-band Horizontal transmit and Horizontal receive polarization (HH) had a good correlation with soil moisture ($r=0.85^{**}$) when LAI was lower than 2. Prediction equations for soil moisture were developed using the L-HH data. Relation between L-HH and soil moisture shows linear pattern and related with soil moisture content ($R^2=0.77$). Results from this study show that backscattering coefficients of microwave scatterometer appear to be effective to estimate soil moisture content in the field level.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.17-35
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• 1994

A semi-empirical model for microwave polarimetric radar backscattering from bare soil surfaces was developed using polarmetric radar measurements and the knowledge based on the theoretical and numerical solutions. The microwave polarimetric backscatter measurements were conducted for bare soil surfaces under a variety of roughness and moisture conditions at L-, C-, and X-band frequencies at incidence angles ranging from 10` to 70`. Since the accrate target parameters as well as the radar parameters are necessary for radar scattering modeling, a complete and accurate set of ground truth data were also collected using a laser profile meter and dielectric probes for each surface condition, from which accurate measurements were made of the rms height, correlation length, and dielectric constant. At first, the angular and spectral dependencies of the measured radar backscatter for a wide range of roughnesses and moisture conditions are examined. Then, the measured scattering behavior was tested using theoretical and numerical solutions. Based on the experimental observations and the theoretical and numerical solutions, a semi-empirical model was developed for backscattering coeffients in terms of the surface roughness parameters and the relative dielectric constant of the soil surface. The model was found to yield very good agreement with the backscattering measurements of this study as well as with independent measurements.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 1998.09a
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• pp.180-185
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• 1998

Microwave polarimetric backscattering from a various types of grassland canopies has been analyzed by using the first-order radiative transfer theory in this paper. Leaves in the grassland are modeled by rectangular resistive sheets, which sizes (widths and lengths) and orientations (elevation and azimuth angles) are randomly distributed. Surface roughness and soil moisture of the ground plane under the grass canopy is considered in this computation. The backscattering coefficients of grasslands are computed for different radar parameters (angles, frequencies and Polarizations) as well as different canopy Parameters (size and orientation distributions of leaves, canopy depth, moisture contents of leaves and soil, rms height and correlation length of soil surface). A radar system for 15GHz has been fabricated and used for measurement of the scattering coefficient from a grass canopy. The computation result obtained by the scattering model for the grass canopy is compared with the measurements.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.112
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• pp.804-810
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• 2006

In this paper, we describe a measurement technique for the backscattering coefficient and ground truth of a vegetation canopy in detail. A simple microwave backscattering model for vegetation canopies is verified by being compared with this measurement. An R-band$(1.7\sim2.0GHz)$ scatterometer system is used to measure the backscattering coefficient of a vegetated area in the Han-river park for various incidence angles and a wide range of the soil moisture contents. It is found that the model agrees quite well with the measurements for co-polarized radar backscatter, and needs a correction for cross polarized radar backscatter.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.763-772
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• 2000

The Radiative Transfer Model(RTM) for computation of microwave polarimetric backscattering coefficients of a various types of vegitation canopies has been examined in this paper. Leaves in the vegitation canopy are modeled by rectangular resistive sheets, which sizes and orientations are randomly distributed. Surface roughness and soil moisture of soil surface are considered in this computation. The backscattering coefficients of grasslands are computed for various values of radar parameters and canopy parameters. A polarimetric scatterometer radar system at 15 GHz has been used for measurement of the scattering coefficient from a grass canopy and a cabbage canopy. The computation results obtained by the RTM for the canopies are compared with the measurement for examination of the RTM.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2011

Soybean has widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses. Microwave remote sensing has a great potential over the conventional remote sensing with the visible and infrared spectra due to its all-weather day-and-night imaging capabilities. In this investigation, a ground-based polarimetric scatterometer operating at multiple frequencies was used to continuously monitor the crop conditions of a soybean field. Polarimetric backscatter data at L, C, and X-bands were acquired every 10 minutes on the microwave observations at various soybean stages. The polarimetric scatterometer consists of a vector network analyzer, a microwave switch, radio frequency cables, power unit and a personal computer. The polarimetric scatterometer components were installed inside an air-conditioned shelter to maintain constant temperature and humidity during the data acquisition period. The backscattering coefficients were calculated from the measured data at incidence angle $40^{\circ}$ and full polarization (HH, VV, HV, VH) by applying the radar equation. The soybean growth data such as leaf area index (LAI), plant height, fresh and dry weight, vegetation water content and pod weight were measured periodically throughout the growth season. We measured the temporal variations of backscattering coefficients of the soybean crop at L, C, and X-bands during a soybean growth period. In the three bands, VV-polarized backscattering coefficients were higher than HH-polarized backscattering coefficients until mid-June, and thereafter HH-polarized backscattering coefficients were higher than VV-, HV-polarized back scattering coefficients. However, the cross-over stage (HH > VV) was different for each frequency: DOY 200 for L-band and DOY 210 for both C and X-bands. The temporal trend of the backscattering coefficients for all bands agreed with the soybean growth data such as LAI, dry weight and plant height; i.e., increased until about DOY 271 and decreased afterward. We plotted the relationship between the backscattering coefficients with three bands and soybean growth parameters. The growth parameters were highly correlated with HH-polarization at L-band (over r=0.92).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2013

Microwave remote sensing can help monitor the land surface water cycle and crop growth. This type of remote sensing has great potential over conventional remote sensing using the visible and infrared regions due to its all-weather day-and-night imaging capabilities. In this paper, a ground-based multi-frequency (L-, C-, and X-band) polarimetric scatterometer system capable of making observations every 10 min was developed. This system was used to monitor the wheat over an entire growth cycle. The polarimetric scatterometer components were installed inside an air-conditioned shelter to maintain constant temperature and humidity during the data acquisition period. Backscattering coefficients for the crop growing season were compared with biophysical measurements. Backscattering coefficients for all frequencies and polarizations increased until dat of year 137 and then decreased along with fresh weight, dry weight, plant height, and vegetation water content (VWC). The range of backscatter for X-band was lower than for L- and C-band. We examined the relationship between the backscattering coefficients of each band (frequency/polarization) and the various wheat growth parameters. The correlation between the different vegetation parameters and backscatter decreased with increasing frequency. L-band HH-polarization (L-HH) is best suited for the monitoring of fresh weight (r=0.98), dry weight (r=0.96), VWC (r=0.98), and plant height (r=0.96). The correlation coefficients were highest for L-band observations and lowest for X-band. Also, HH-polarization had the highest correlations among the polarization channels (HH, VV and HV). Based on the correlation analysis between backscattering coefficients in each band and wheat growth parameters, we developed prediction equations using the L-HH based on the observed relationships between L-HH and fresh weight, dry weight, VWC and plant height. The results of these analyses will be useful in determining the optimum microwave frequency and polarizations necessary for estimating vegetation parameters in the wheat.