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Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest Stand Variable Estimation Using SAR Data

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Abstract

Optical remote sensing data have been extensively used to derive biophysical properties that relate forest type and composition. However, stand density, stand height and stand volume cannot be estimated directly from optical remote sensing data owing to poor sensitivity between these parameters and spectral reflectance. The ability of microwave energy to penetrate within forest vegetation makes it possible to extract information on both the crown and trunk components from radar data. The type of polarization employed determines the radar response to the various shapes and orientations of the scattering mechanisms within the canopy or trunk. This study mainly presents experimental results obtained with airborne E-SAR using polarimetric C and L bands over the tropical dry deciduous forest of Chandrapur Forest Division, Maharashtra. A detailed documentation of the relationship between SAR C & L bands backscattering and forest stand variables has been provided in the present study through linear correlation. Linear correlation of the single channel SAR derived estimates with the field measured means show a good correlation between L HV backscattering coefficient with stand volume (r2 = 0.71) and L HH backscattering coefficient with stand density (r2 = 0.75). The results imply that SAR data has significant potential for stand menstruation in operational forestry.

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Acknowledgements

We place our sincere thanks to V. Jayaraman, Director, NRSC, Hyderabad for his constant encouragement and valuable suggestions throughout the study. We are extremely thankful to Ranganath Navalgund,. Director Sapce Application Center, Ahemadabad and, K.L. Majumdar, Chairman, project management board, JEP-MW, Space Application Center, for entrusting this study to RRSSC, Nagpur and providing the necessary funds. We are thankful to Manab Chakraborthy, Group director, GTDG/RESIPA & project director, JEP-MW, for his guidance; Shiv Mohan, Head ATDD/GTDG/RESIPA, and Vikas Patil, Project Manager, JEP-MW for their keen interest and constant encouragement during the course of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Remote Sensing Center (Central), Nagpur, 440010, India

    Varghese Ouseph Alappat, Ashok Kumar Joshi & Y. V. N. Krishnamurthy

  2. NRSC, Hyderabad, India

    Varghese Ouseph Alappat, Ashok Kumar Joshi & Y. V. N. Krishnamurthy

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  1. Varghese Ouseph Alappat
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  2. Ashok Kumar Joshi
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  3. Y. V. N. Krishnamurthy
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Correspondence to Varghese Ouseph Alappat.

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Alappat, V.O., Joshi, A.K. & Krishnamurthy, Y.V.N. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest Stand Variable Estimation Using SAR Data. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 39, 583–589 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-011-0118-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-011-0118-y

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