1. Forest height retrieval from commercial X-band SAR products
- Author
-
Wallington, Edward D. and Woodhouse, Iain H.
- Subjects
Synthetic aperture radar -- Usage ,Synthetic aperture radar -- Analysis ,Forests and forestry -- Observations ,Business ,Earth sciences ,Electronics and electrical industries - Abstract
This paper assesses the accuracy and reliability of tree height retrieval over coniferous plantations using X-band interferometry. Factors such as crown shape, density, tree height, incidence angle, and slope have been assessed and quantified using a simple polarimetric radar interferometry simulator to determine their impact on height retrieval. Results from model simulation show that the most important factors are: crown shape, plantation density, and tree height. Variation in viewing angle and small slopes (< 30[degrees]) appear to have only small effects. These results appear to be in reasonably good agreement with the retrieved tree height from airborne X-band Intermap data over coniferous plantations in the U.K. Index Terms--Forest inventory, signal coherence, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry, tree height retrieval.
- Published
- 2006