Title :
Leaf area index estimation of boreal forest using ENVISAT ASAR
Author :
Manninen, Terhikki ; Stenberg, Pauline ; Rautiainen, Miina ; Voipio, Pekka ; Smolander, Heikki
Author_Institution :
Earth Obs., Finnish Meteorol. Inst., Helsinki, Finland
Abstract :
A method for retrieval of leaf area index (LAI) using ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar vertical/horizontal (VV/HH) polarization ratio was derived for boreal forests. Five alternating polarization single-look complex images of the test site were acquired in summer 2003. The swath range from IS1-IS6 was studied. The VV/HH polarization ratio correlated quite well with the ground truth LAI values. The mean error of the LAI estimates was 0.27 for the test site with mixed forest when data from all images and stands were used without separating between species (or swaths). The respective mean LAI estimation error was 0.3 for Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and 0.07 for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) dominated stands.
Keywords :
forestry; radar polarimetry; remote sensing by radar; spaceborne radar; synthetic aperture radar; vegetation mapping; AD 2003; ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar; LAI estimation error; Norway spruce; Picea abies; Pinus sylvestris; Scots pine; artificial satellite; boreal forest; leaf area index; mixed forest; vertical/horizontal polarization ratio; Adaptive optics; Atmospheric modeling; Backscatter; Optical saturation; Optical sensors; Polarization; Remote sensing; Synthetic aperture radar; Testing; Vegetation mapping; Forestry; leaf area index (LAI); polarization; satellite applications; synthetic aperture radar (SAR);
Journal_Title :
Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TGRS.2005.857325
