| Title | Using RADARSAT-2 polarimetric and ENVISAT-ASAR dual-polarization data for estimating soil moisture over agricultural fields |
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| Author | Trudel, M; Charbonneau, F; Leconte, R |
| Source | vol. 38, issue 4, 2012 p. 514-527 |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2012 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20170150 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis Online |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Quebec |
| Area | Anglais River; Anglais River catchment |
| Lat/Long WENS | -74.0000 -72.5000 46.0000 44.0000 |
| Subjects | remote sensing; radar imagery; soil moisture; soil properties; RADARSAT-2; ENVISAT-ASAR |
| Illustrations | satellite images; graphs; tables |
| Program | Groundwater Geoscience Aquifer Assessment & support to mapping |
| Released | 2012 01 01 |
| Abstract | There are several challenges in estimating soil moisture from radar remote sensing over agricultural fields in eastern Canada. To begin, snow cover or frozen ground is observed from November to April.
From April to May, agricultural activities (e.g., ploughing and sowing) change the surface roughness from week to week thereby limiting the applicability of multitemporal and multi-incidence angle approaches. Techniques using a priori information on
surface roughness are difficult to apply since the type of crop often changes from year to year. Here, we present an approach using effective roughness parameters (i.e., effective root mean square height and effective correlation length) that are
obtained using an empirical relationship (independent of the crop type) between the root mean square height and the correlation length. The effective parameters allow us to resolve the Integral Equation Model for observed incidence angle and
backscattering coefficient in HH and VV polarizations (HH and °VV) using a look-up table. An additional challenge is posed by the growth of vegetation that begins in May. Three-component decompositions and radar vegetation indices were used to
characterize the vegetation in agricultural fields. Surface backscattering coefficients in HH and VV polarizations ( SURF HH and SURF VV) were calculated using the decompositions. An improvement in estimates of soil moisture was observed with the use
of surface backscattering coefficients for bare soil and sparsely vegetated fields instead of the total backscattering. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 305365 |
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