Forest parameters estimation from SAR and Landsat data using look-up table inversion

Radiative transfer (RT) models were used to simulate reflectance at TM bands and radar beckscattering coefficients at L-bands at acquisition conditions of LANDSAT and PALSAR on the acquisition dates. The forest stands aged from 5 to 250 years simulated from a forest growth model ZELIG at test sites were used to feed the RT models to build a look-up table. A simulated optical and SAR dataset was first used to test the LUT method and the results were promising. SAR data is better for biomass estimation and optical for canopy fractional cover estimation. Combined use of the data didn´t improve the biomass estimation and slightly improved the fractional cover estimation. The inversion results from real TM and PALSAR data were presented and discussed.