Terrain slope measurement accuracy using polarimetric SAR data

The measurement of changes in polarimetric orientation induced by terrain slopes in the azimuthal (or along-track) direction may be made using polarimetric SAR data and a new method described by Schuler et al. (1998). The conversion of these orientation changes into terrain slope estimates requires a knowledge of the radar look-angle and the range-direction terrain slope. The solution for slopes is, therefore, a problem coupled between the range and azimuthal directions. Equations are available to solve for the complete set of slopes in the range and azimuthal directions when orthogonal, or quasi-orthogonal, two-pass polarimetric SAR data is available. This study attempts to determine the accuracy of the slopes derived from polarimetric SAR data. Co-registered interferometric SAR slope values are used as a benchmark for estimating this accuracy