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Simple algorithm for soil moisture retrieval with co-polarized SAR data

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Journal of Electronics (China)

Abstract

In this paper, an empirical methodology to retrieve bare soil moisture by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is developed. The model is based on Advanced Integral Equation Model (AIEM). Since AIEM cannot express cross-polarized backscattering coefficients accurately, we propose an empirical model to retrieve soil moisture for bare farmland only with co-polarized SAR data. The soil moisture can be obtained by solving an equation of HH and VV polarized data without any field measurements. Both simulated and real SAR data are used to validate the accuracy of the model. This method is especially effective in a large area where the surface roughness is difficult to be completely measured.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Dan Wang & Mo Huang

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Dan Wang

  3. College of Information Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, 010051, China

    Pingping Huang

  4. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Grassland Survey and Planning Institute, Hohhot, 010051, China

    Aijun Liu

  5. Kedian Building 612, No. 9 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China

    Dan Wang

Authors
  1. Dan Wang
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  2. Pingping Huang
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  3. Mo Huang
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  4. Aijun Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dan Wang.

Additional information

Supported by the Research Program of Science and Technology at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (NJZZ11069) and the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (2011BS0904).

Communication author: Wang Dan, born in 1989, female, Master Degree.

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Wang, D., Huang, P., Huang, M. et al. Simple algorithm for soil moisture retrieval with co-polarized SAR data. J. Electron.(China) 30, 237–242 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11767-013-3047-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11767-013-3047-9

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