Radar-based forest biomass estimation

Abstract

Abstract The potential of radar-based tree biomass estimation has been studied using polarimetric SAR data from the Freiburg test site of the MAESTRO I Campaign and scatterometer data from a test site in Finland. Using the Freiburg SAR data and polarizaiton synthesis, the most suitable polarization combination was obtained. In P band, the maximum correIalions, which were found ncar the linear H V polarization, were up to 0·75. In the Finnish test site, a strong negative correlation “correlation coefficient -0·65” existed between the pine biomass and X-VV backscatter. When the combination of X and C bands “measured by the HUTSCAT seatterometer” was used, a correlation coefficient of 0·81 was obtained.