Very high resolution polarimetric L, S, C and X-band 3D SAR imagery of the scattering characteristics of wheat canopies

Adoption of radar remote sensing for crop management is restricted because of our present limited understanding of the biological significance of the radar returns. This work seeks to further its use by identifying the potential of radar sensors for measuring key physiological crop parameters such as green area index, ear biomass, and total crop biomass. The detailed laboratory studies were carried at the NERC GB-SAR indoor anechoic chamber facility at Sheffield University. The studies were made on two outdoor container-grown mature spring wheat canopies in July, at a stage in the growing season identified as being of agronomic interest. Very high-resolution 3D SAR imagery of the wheat was obtained at L-, S-, C- and X-band, along with detailed complementary physiological measurements. The imagery illustrates the scattering behaviour within the canopy volume and its dependence upon the choice of radar polarisation and frequency