FOREST APPLICATIONS OF RADARSAT-2 POLARIMETRIC SAR DATA
- Paper number
IAC-09.B1.6.7
- Author
Dr. David G. Goodenough, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Hao Chen, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Geordie Hobart, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Ashlin Richardson, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
- Year
2009
- Abstract
In May of 2008 Radarsat-2 polarimetric SAR data for Natural Resources Canada became available. Two test sites were selected, the Greater Victoria Watershed District (GVWD) and a site near Hinton Alberta. Multitemporal and multiangle acquisitions with Radarsat-2 were obtained. In this paper we evaluate analysis methods and investigate potential forest applications with Radarsat-2 polarimetric SAR data. The Radarsat-2 Fine Quad-polarization data were studied and the Cloude H/A/Alpha and Freeman three-component decompositions were performed. The Cloude entropy or Shannon Entropy, dominant scattering alpha and eigenvalues (λ2+λ3) were used to create Hue-Saturation-Value (HSV) coded imagery for better classification of the forests and to reduce topographic effects. Forest classifications were compared with optical classifications and data from ground plots. A unique decomposition revealed the presence of a 50-year old fire scar in the Hinton test site. The data were geocoded for both sites and integrated with topographic parameters, such as elevation, slope, and aspect. For the GVWD site, precision lidar data and hyperspectral data allowed an accurate assessment of forest classification and biomass products. This paper presents the current state of the art for Radarsat-2 applications in forestry.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)