Snow permittivity retrieval inversion algorithm for estimating snow wetness

The environmental satellite (ENVISAT) advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) offers the opportunity for monitoring snow parameters with dual polarization and multi-incidence angle. Snow wetness is an important index for indicating snow avalanche, snowmelt runoff modelling, water supply for irrigation and hydropower stations, weather forecasts and understanding climate change. We used a first-order scattering model that includes both volume and air/snow surface scattering based on a developed inversion model to estimate snow dielectric constant, which can be further related for estimating snow wetness. Comparison with field measurement showed that the correlation coefficient for snow permittivity estimated from ASAR data was observed to be 0.8 at 95% confidence interval and model bias was observed as 2.42% by volume at 95% confidence interval. The comparison of ASAR-derived snow permittivity with ground measurements shows the average absolute error 2.5%. The snow wetness range varies from 0 to 15% by volume.     

Estimation of Snow Cover Area,Snow Physical Properties and Glacier Classification in Parts of Western Himalayas Using C-Band SAR Data

Snow physical properties, snow cover and glacier facies are important parameters which are used to quantify snowpack characteristics, glacier mass balance and seasonal snow and glacier melt. This study has been done using C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data of Indian radar imaging satellite, radar imaging satellite-1 (RISAT)-1, to estimate the seasonal snow cover and retrieve snow physical properties (snow wetness and snow density), and glacier radar zones or facies classification in parts of North West Himalaya (NWH), India. Additional SAR data used are of Radarsat-2 (RS-2) satellite, which was used for glacier facies classification of Smudra Tapu glacier in Himachal Pradesh. RISAT-1 based snow cover area (SCA) mapping, snow wetness and snow density retrieval and glacier facies classification have been done for the first time in NWH region. SAR-based inversion models were used for finding out wet and dry snow dielectric constant, dry and wet SCA, snow wetness and snow density. RISAT-1 medium resolution scan-SAR mode (MRS) in HV polarization was used for first time in NWH for deriving time series of SCA maps in Beas and Bhagirathi river basins for years 2013–2014. The SAR-based inversion models were implemented separately for RISAT-1 quad pol. FRS2, for wet snow and dry snow permittivity retrieval. Masks for layover and shadow were considered in estimating final snow parameters. The overall accuracy in terms of R² value comes out to be 0.74 for snow wetness and 0.72 for snow density based on the limited ground truth data for subset area of Manali sub-basin of Beas River up to Manali for winter of 2014. Accuracy for SCA was estimated to be 95 % when compared with optical remote sensing based SCA maps with error of ±10 %. The time series data of RISAT-1 MRS and hybrid data in RH/RV mode based decompositions were also used for glacier radar zones classification for Gangotri and Samudra Tapu glaciers. The various glaciers radar zones or facies such as debris covered glacier ice, clean or bare glacier ice radar zone, percolation/refreeze radar zone and wet snow, ice wall etc., were identified. The accuracy of classified maps was estimated using ground truth data collected during 2013 and 2014 glacier field work to Samudra Tapu and Gangotri glaciers and overall accuracy was found to be in range of 82–90 %. This information of various glacier radar zones can be utilized in marking firn line of glaciers, which can be helpful for glacier mass balance studies.     

Polarimetric SAR Data Correction and Terrain Topography Measurement Based on the Radar Target Orientation Angle

Topographic variations caused by the range and the azimuth terrain slopes induce polarization orientation changes which cause the polarization to rotate about the line of sight. The existence of these variations reduce the accuracy measurement of geophysical parameters from polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images. For this reason most inversion studies are best done in area of flat earth. In area which has significant terrain variations require compensation for topography. In real situations, terrain slopes rotate the polarization basis of the polarimetric scattering matrices by an orientation angle shift, and induce significant cross-polarization power. In this paper, two methods have been investigated using the polarimetric orientation angle (PAO): the first one involves the rotation of the polarimetric scattering and coherency matrices to achieve maximum azimuthally asymmetry for polarimetric data compensation to ensure accurate estimation of geophysical parameters in rugged terrain areas. The second approach has been developed which measures azimuth and range terrain slopes that are related to shifts in polarization orientation angle. Terrain elevation maps relative to a plane parallel to the radar line of sight can then be generated by integrating these slopes requiring only one PolSAR flight pass by combing orientation angle estimation and a shape-from-shading technique (SFS) which is mostly used by the computer vision community. Experimental results with C-band polarimetric RADARSAT2 data are used evaluate the data compensation algorithm and DEM generation.     

Estimation of rice grain yield from dual-polarization Radarsat-2 SAR data by integrating a rice canopy scattering model and a genetic algorithm

Fast and accurate estimation of rice yield plays a role in forecasting rice productivity for ensuring regional or national food security. Microwave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data has been proved to have a great potential for rice monitoring and parameters retrieval. In this study, a rice canopy scattering model (RCSM) was revised and then was applied to simulate the backscatter of rice canopy. The combination of RCSM and genetic algorithm (GA) was proposed for retrieving two important rice parameters relating to grain yield, ear length and ear number density, from a C-band, dual-polarization (HH and HV) Radarsat-2 SAR data. The stability of retrieved results of GA inversion was also evaluated by changing various parameter configurations.Results show that RCSM can effectively simulate backscattering coefficients of rice canopy at HH and HV mode with an error of <1 dB. Reasonable selection of GA’s parameters is essential for stability and efficiency of rice parameter retrieval. Two rice parameters are retrieved by the proposed RCSM-GA technology with better accuracy. The rice ear length are estimated with error of <1.5 cm, and ear number density with error of <23 #/m². Rice grain yields are effectively estimated and mapped by the retrieved ear length and number density via a simple yield regression equation. This study further illustrates the capability of C-band Radarsat-2 SAR data on retrieval of rice ear parameters and the practicability of radar remote sensing technology for operational yield estimation.     

基于极化相干层析技术的森林垂直剖面重建研究

极化相干层析技术作为极化干涉合成孔径雷达的一个重要应用方向,在林业遥感方面应用广泛。在分析极化相干层析技术原理的基础上,基于仿真数据从10 m,18 m和22 m三种森林高度以及Deciduous,Pine(2)和Hedge三种树型分别对极化相干层析技术构建森林垂直结构剖面的精度进行了验证,研究结果表明,该方法能够有效构建垂直结构剖面,森林高度和树型对估算结果影响较小,该方法对不同树型和不同高度均具有良好的适应性。     

双极化SAR数据反演裸露地表土壤水分

为了较高精度地获取大范围地表土壤水分,提出一种基于双极化合成孔径雷达数据的裸露地表土壤水分反演模型即非线性方程组,通过改进的粒子群算法求解非线性方程组从而得到土壤水分。首先通过AIEM模型数值模拟和回归分析,得到一种新的组合粗糙度,然后模拟分析得到土壤水分与雷达后向散射系数的关系,从而建立雷达后向散射系数与组合粗糙度、土壤水分的经验关系。利用ASAR C波段双极化雷达数据,基于经验关系和改进的粒子群算法即可实现土壤水分的反演。经过黑河流域实测土壤水分数据对模型进行验证,反演结果与实测数据具备良好的相关性(R~2=0.778 6)。与以往同一区域研究成果比较,文中的方法反演精度有所提高,更适用于裸露地表土壤水分反演。     

Coherence optimization using the polarization state conformation in PolInSAR

A new coherence optimization algorithm is proposed for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry applications by using the polarization state conformation algorithm based on the polarimetric basis transformation along with the polarization signatures. Through application of this algorithm, the resemblance between the scattering mechanisms of the same target in the repeat-pass polarimetric SAR (POLSAR) images is maximized. Then, coherence maps between the repeat-pass POLSAR images, before and after application of the algorithm, are generated. The coherences obtained by this method represent the best coherences or optimized coherences between the POLSAR images. The effects predicted by the theory are confirmed by the POLSAR data acquired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Spaceborne Imaging Radar mission.     

Simulation analysis on the relationship between the leaf area index and polarimetric parameters of crops

Abstract

The leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter to quantitatively describe the structure of vegetation and crops. Uncertainty in the relationship between the LAI and polarimetric parameters is the key problem for LAI estimation from polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (POLSAR) data. However, the existing POLSAR data have difficulties meeting the demand of the aforementioned research. This paper analyses the correlations between the LAI and the polarimetric parameters derived from Cloude and Freeman decompositions using simulated POLSAR data based on a coherent scattering model for maize and wheat. The results show: (1) The POLSAR data at C-band with a large incidence angle (40 degrees) are very suitable for finding the LAI for maize and wheat. (2) For maize there is a strong correlation between the scattering type angle and the LAI at C-band with a large incidence angle, and the coherency entropy, anisotropy, and the power of the double-bounce scattering power component also have significant correlations with the LAI. (3) For wheat at C-band with a high incidence angle, although the correlation coefficient is low, there is still a correlation between the entropy, anisotropy and LAI. Besides, the volume scattering is suitable for extracting the LAI for wheat at X-band.     

Application of ENVISAT ASAR Data in Mapping Rice Crop Growth in Southern China

This research letter presents preliminary results of mapping rice crop growth using ENVISAT advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) alternating polarization HH/HV data. Four ASAR HH/HV images were collected in the early rice-growth cycle in the test site in 2006, and the temporal response of ASAR data to the rice field was analyzed. The height and biomass of rice were measured during acquisition of ASAR data, and empirical relationships were established between the backscattering coefficient and these two parameters. Based on the temporal variation of the radar response, a method for mapping a rice growth area was developed using the combination of ASAR HH and HV polarization data between two acquisition dates. The results confirm that C-band SAR data have great potential in the development of an operational system for monitoring rice crop growth in Southern China.     

Calculating vertical deformation using a single InSAR pair based on singular value decomposition in mining areas

Vertical deformation estimation can be a significant tool in preventing geological hazards and managing environment impacts of underground mining. Common ground surface vertical deformation calculations are challenged by difficult data collection and dependence on prior knowledge. SVD (singular value decomposition) method was applied to estimate ground surface vertical deformation from single pair SAR (synthetic aperture radar) data in a mining region. During the study, LOS (line of sight) and azimuth displacement was obtained using two pass D-InSAR (differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar) and MAI (multi-aperture radar interferometry) technology, respectively. Two adjustment equations were composed using the imaging geometry of D-InSAR and MAI. The singular value decomposition theorem was used to acquire M-P (Moore-Penrose) generalized inverse of the rank deficiency coefficient matrix. From this, the optimal approximation solution of unknown parameters was calculated using weighted least squares. A working panel in the Datong mining area, Shanxi province, China, was selected to verify the SVD approach using the two ascending Sentinel-1A data. The accuracy of vertical deformation estimated by SVD approach is reliable. The RMSE (root mean square error) of vertical deformation is 2.64 mm (along upright profile) and 4.95 mm (along horizontal profile). These results suggest that the SVD approach will complement widely used vertical ground surface deformation calculations. Further study is needed to validate the method from other deformation scenarios from landslides, groundwater loss, earthquakes, underground mining, and glacier movement.     

Yamaguchi分解Notch滤波的全极化SAR图像舰船目标检测

极化合成孔径雷达数据蕴含了丰富的地物极化散射信息,已广泛应用于海上舰船目标检测研究。针对极化相干矩阵无法直接用于分析特定散射体物理特性的缺陷,利用Yamaguchi极化分解改进了极化Notch滤波器。将基于模型的极化分解方法引入Notch滤波器,利用表面散射、二次散射、体散射和螺旋体散射等散射机制的能量构造散射矢量代替极化相干散射矢量,并加入功率能量因子,构造新的极化SAR图像Notch滤波器。Radarsat-2全极化SAR图像实验结果表明,改进算法有效增强了舰船目标与海杂波背景间的对比度,检测性能优越。     

RADARSAT-2全极化SAR数据地表覆盖分类

全极化合成孔径雷达(SAR)能够测量每一观测目标的全散射矩阵,但地物分布的复杂性往往造成不同地物具有相似的后向散射信号特征,因而增加了地物信息提取的难度。文中基于北京地区的RADARSAT-2全极化雷达数据,在图像处理的特征分解的基础上,利用PolSARPro软件提取包含地物散射机理信息的各种极化参数,按H-α、A-α、H-A对全极化SAR影像进行基于散射机理的分类,继而将分类结果作为Wishart H/A/α、Wishart H/α的初始类别划分。最后,采用决策树分类算法对基于Wishart分布的监督分类及以上两种分类算法进行融合处理,从而实现地物的分类,并将分类结果与经典的分类算法进行对比分析,验证了文中方法的有效性。     

Simulation of the Ku-band Radar altimeter sea ice effective scattering surface

A radiative transfer model is used to simulate the sea ice radar altimeter effective scattering surface variability as a function of snow depth and density. Under dry snow conditions without layering these are the primary snow parameters affecting the scattering surface variability. The model is initialized with in situ data collected during the May 2004 GreenIce ice camp in the Lincoln Sea (73/spl deg/W; 85/spl deg/N). Our results show that the snow cover is important for the effective scattering surface depth in sea ice and thus for the range measurement, ice freeboard, and ice thickness estimation.     

C和L波段SAR数据在填海新区的应用及特性分析

收集了35景C波段ENVISAR ASAR和20景L波段ALOS PALSAR数据,采用时间序列合成孔径雷达干涉测量（interferometric synthetic aperture radar,InSAR）分析技术获取了典型的填海新区-上海临港新区2007年~2010年间的沉降速率场。从空间、时间密度以及监测精度方面,对C和L波段的数据的形变估计结果进行对比,并进而讨论C波段和L波段数据在填海新区地表形变探测差异的原因以及数据在填海新区监测的特性。     

20世纪以来中国的大型滑坡及其发生机制

相较于传统的单极化合成孔径雷达（synthetic aperture radar,SAR）,全极化SAR（polarimetric SAR,PolSAR）能够获取更加丰富的地物目标极化散射信息,更全面地描述目标的几何物理特征。为了充分利用地物目标的极化散射信息,基于复Wishart分布的极化似然比检验（polarimetric likelihood ratio test,PolLRT）原理,构建了极化似然比统计量来准确评价主、从影像块之间的相似性。与传统的极化SAR偏移量跟踪方法相比,所提方法不仅考虑了同种极化方式间的互相关信息,而且考虑了不同极化方式间的互相关信息,提高了极化信息匹配性能。通过覆盖美国科罗拉多州Slumgullion滑坡的全极化无人机SAR（unmanned aerial vehicle SAR, UAV SAR）数据来开展实验,结果表明,所提方法具有更高的形变估算精度,并且在不同匹配窗口参数下表现出更加稳健的形变估算性能。

     

Pol-InSAR observations from an Alpine glacier in the cold infiltration zone at L- and P-band

In the frame of the Swiss Alpine Airborne SAR Experiment 2003 (SASARE), multitemporal/multibaseline polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (Pol-InSAR) datasets were acquired with the German Experimental SAR (E-SAR) platform at L- and P-band in the region of the Aletsch glacier in Switzerland. For SASARE, several sub-test-sites had been selected below and significantly above the equilibrium line. We provide results from the analysis of the multibaseline Pol-InSAR L- and P-band measurements of the polarization-dependent complex interferometric coherence of an Alpine glacier in the cold infiltration zone. Interferometric volume decorrelation is demonstrated as a function of polarization. Conventional polarimetric decomposition techniques confirm the polarization-dependent backscattering properties of the analyzed snow and ice surfaces.     

基于四分量散射模型的多极化SAR图像分类

基于四分量散射模型提出了一种多极化SAR(synthetic aperture radar)图像非监督分类算法。与Freeman三分量散射模型不同,四分量散射模型在Freeman三分量的基础上增加了螺旋散射分量(helix),该分量反映了复杂地貌和不规则城市建筑的散射机理,可以用来处理复杂的场景图像。算法强调了初始分类的重要性,在初始分类中考虑了混合散射机制像素的存在,从而提高了分类结果的精确度。聚类过程中,采用由四个散射分量组成的特征向量进行迭代聚类。为了实现算法的完全非监督,利用特征向量给出了一种新的聚类终止准则。NASA/JPL实验室AIRSAR全极化数据分类实验结果表明,该算法具有较好的分类效果,并获得了较高的分类精度。     

Deriving time-series three-dimensional displacements of mining areas from a single-geometry InSAR dataset

This paper presents a method for deriving time-series three-dimensional (3-D) displacements of mining areas from a single-geometry interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) dataset (hereafter referred to as the SGI-based method). This is mainly aimed at overcoming the limitation of the traditional multi-temporal InSAR techniques that require SAR data from at least three significantly different imaging geometries to fully retrieve time-series 3-D displacements of mining areas. The SGI-based method first generates the multi-temporal observations of the mining-induced vertical subsidence from the single-geometry InSAR data, using a previously developed method for retrieving 3-D mining-related displacements from a single InSAR pair (SIP). The weighted least-squares solutions of the time series of vertical subsidence are estimated from these generated multi-temporal observations of vertical subsidence. Finally, the time series of horizontal motions in the east and north directions are estimated using the proportional relationship between the horizontal motion and the subsidence gradient of the mining area, on the basis of the SGI-derived time series of vertical subsidence. Seven ascending ALOS PALSAR images from the Datong mining area of China were used to test the proposed SGI-based method. The results suggest that the SGI-based method is effective. The SGI-based method not only extends the SIP-based method to time-series 3-D displacement retrieval from a single-geometry InSAR dataset, but also limits the uncertainty propagation from InSAR-derived deformation to the estimated 3-D displacements.     

Earth observations during space shuttle mission STS‐34: 18–23 October 1989

Abstract

Although high‐resolution microwave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors possess all‐weather capability for mapping soil moisture from spaceborne platforms, continuous temporal and spatial monitoring of this important hydrological parameter has been relatively limited. However, the recent launch of operational SAR sensors aboard various satellites have made possible synoptic soil moisture monitoring a reality. Such systems operate over a wide range of frequencies, look angles, and polarization combinations, and thus show synergistic advantages when combined for estimating soil moisture patterns. Two soil moisture inversion algorithms have been developed using as inputs radar backscattering data at L, S, and C bands in the microwave frequency range. These models have been tested using radar image simulation with speckle added. It is observed that the neural network algorithm yields superior results in mapping actual soil moisture patterns over the linear statistical inversion technique, although both models show comparable errors in soil moisture estimation. We infer that using statistical estimation errors alone for comparison purposes may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the advantages of one soil moisture inversion algorithm over another.     

A Novel Algorithm for Estimating the Rotation Angle in ISAR Imaging

A novel algorithm for estimating the rotation angle in inverse synthetic aperture radar imaging by generally considering the received signals as cubic phase signals is presented. The rotation angle is determined by the coefficients of the cubic phase signals, and the results of real data demonstrate the validity of the algorithm.