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Microwave Dielectric and Propagation Properties of Vegetation CanopiesA vegetation canopy is a highly inhomogeneous medium at microwave frequencies, and because the scattering elements (leaves, stalks, fruits, and branches) have a nonuniform distribution in orientation, the canopy is likely to exhibit nonisotropic attenuation properties. In some canopies, the stalk may contain the overwhelming majority of the plant's biomass, which suggests that an incident radar wave would be differentially attenuated by the canopy depending on the direction of the incident electric field relative to the stalks' orientation. The propagation properties of a vegetation canopy play a central role in modeling both the backscattering behavior observed by an imaging radar and the emission observed by a radiometer. These propagation properties are in turn governed by the dielectric properties and the size, shape, and slope distributions of the scatteres. In spite of the critical need for canopy propagation models and experimental data, very few investigations had been conducted (prior to this study) to determine the extinction properties of vegetation canopies, either by constituent type (leaves, stalks, etc.) or as a whole.
Document ID
19860004341
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ulaby, F. T.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Goddard Space Flight Center Fundamental Remote Sensing Sci. Res. Program
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Accession Number
86N13810
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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