SAR techniques for rapid area estimation of agricultural crops during winter and spring

This work is concerned with the results of the 1997 project: “A pilot project on the use of active microwave satellite remote sensing for rapid area estimation of agricultural crops during winter and spring”. The objectives of the work were threefold. Firstly, to determine agricultural crop area estimates at the end of the field preparation period of winter crops. Secondly, to determine agricultural crop area estimates at the end of the field preparation period of spring crops. Thirdly, to analyse and define the requirements for an operational synthetic aperture radar (SAR) monitoring activity in the framework of the MARS Project for the provision of crop area estimates at two key dates, mid-January and mid-May