Forest understorey study with synthetic aperture radar data

The understorey is an important forest component in the structure and functioning of a forest. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images contain an interesting potential to deserve an investment for the tracking of their analysis possibilities regarding the understorey. Their acknowledged advantages when compared to optical imagery - being independent of solar light, cloud cover and hazy atmospheric conditions, and presenting increased penetration capabilities - make them attractive data sources for remote sensing applications, including the understorey case. A pathfinder study has been recently launched to analyse SAR data sensitivity to the understorey presence in maritime pine stands of central Portugal and to assess the possibilities of extracting biophysical information for this forest stratum. This document pays special attention to the radiometric and geometric corrections of the radar imagery selected