Monitoring the Land Cover Change of China with the Combination of the Topex/Poseidon and Envisat Radar Altimetric Data

The Ku band backscatter coefficients data have been extracted since 2002.5 to 2005.5 from Topex/Poseidon(T/P)GDR-M and Envisat OPR datasets. Based on the continuous tension spline curve gridding method, the time series gridding data was obtained. Then the two different backscatter coefficients time series were compared. Carefully analysis and discussion on the spatial distribution characteristic of the backscattering coefficients in Inner Mongolia plateau, North China Plain, Northeast China Plain, the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, the Yunnan Guizhou Plateau, the Loess Plateau, the Yangtze River Plain indicate that both technologies can be used for monitoring natural disasters and potential environmental change of China and providing decision support for monitoring time series for land cover change.