Multifrequency imaging radar polarimetry: Depolarisation of radar echoes at three wavelengthsIt is shown that high resolution imaging radar polarimeters can describe depolarization effects in great detail by measuring the complete Stokes matrix for small regions on the Earth's surface, permitting to distinguish between coherent polarization transformation by the surface and diffuse interactions that randomize the polarization state of the received wave. Multiwavelength polarimeter observations of a variety of types of terrain, including images of the coherent and diffuse parts of the received signal are presented. The diffuse image, in particular, is highly indicative of small-scale surface roughness, an effect illustrated by analyzing a set of polarimeter images acquired over lava fields of varying roughness.
Zebker, H. A. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Vanzyl, J. J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: ESA, Proceedings of the 1988 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) '88 on Remote Sensing: Moving Towards the 21st Century, Volume 3