Relating vegetation aerodynamic roughness length to interferometric SAR measurements

The authors investigate the feasibility of estimating aerodynamic roughness parameter from interferometric SAR (INSAR) measurements. The relation between the interferometric correlation and the rms height of the surface is presented analytically. Model simulations performed over realistic canopy parameters obtained from field measurements in boreal forest environment demonstrate the capability of the INSAR measurement for estimating and mapping surface roughness lengths over forests and/or other vegetation types. The procedure for estimating this parameter over boreal forests using the INSAR data is discussed and the possibility of extending the methodology over tropical forests is examined