Dependence of P-band interferometric height
on forest parameters from simulation and observation

M. Lavalle, M.L. Williams, S. Hensley, E. Pottier, and D. Solimini

Abstract

GeoSAR is a unique dual-band, interferometric SAR (DBInSAR) sensor capable of collecting single-pass, Xband (VV) and P-band (HH) interferometric data simultaneously. In this paper we examine the dependence of the P-band HH interferometric phase centre height upon forest and terrain parameters. We develop a simple model for P-band GeoSAR observations, and use the model to show how the elevation in P-band HH phase centre height above true ground height is related to the volume-to-ground scattering ratio. GeoSAR is not fully-polarimetric, but records cross-polar (HV) returns at P-band (although not interferometrically). We conjecture that these returns are dominated by direct-volume scattering and related to the direct-volume HH backscatter. We use this relationship to model the dependence of the P-band HH DTM height upon the HV/HH ratio, and the difference in X-band DEM with P-band DTM heights. The relationships are examined using simulated forest InSAR data, and a model is proposed for ground-height and tree-height estimation using DBInSAR that does not require full polarimetry.

Index Terms— Interferometry, DBInSAR, X-band, P-band, GeoSAR, tree height

2009 IEEE International Geoscience & Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS'09, Cape Town, South Africa, 13-17 July, 2009

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