Statistical analysis of the backscattering from a two-scale fractal model of natural landscapes

This paper proposes a model of terrain surfaces in which two different fractal dimensions, each associated to a different scale length, are taken into account. The resulting backscattered signal is viewed as the superposition of contributes coming from elementary facets. By means of computer simulations, it has been found that the amplitude of the signal follows a K distribution. This result, which arises also in similar fractal models, could be theoretically explained if the random number of facets which significantly contributes to the overall signal had negative binomial distribution. Hence, comparisons between negative binomial law and simulated data are provided