Backscattering of Electromagnetic Waves from a Layer of Vegetation,
Abstract
A theoretical model for the backscattering of elelctromagnetic waves from a layer of vegetation is computed using a first order renormalization technique to determine volume scattering. The vegetation soil interface is assumed rough according to the tangent plane approximation and the scattering from this boundary is added incoherently to the volume scattering result. The mean wave in the vegetation is obtained using a bilocal approximation of the Dyson's equation. A free space dyadic Green's function is used along with a correlation function of the dielectric fluctuations which is exponential in form and which also possess different correlation lengths lx, ly, and lz in the x, y, and z, directions. Effective propagation constants are obtained for both horizontal and vertical polarizations. The scattered wave is solved for using a two-dimensional Fourier transform technique and the boundary conditions at either end of the vegetation layer are matched. The far field backscatter coefficients are computed for both horizontal and vertical polarizations. The mean and variance of the dielectric fluctuations are calculated with the aid of Peake's model for the dielectric constant of vegetation. The theory is matched to experimental data taken from a corn field. The resulting values for the correlation parameters are then used to monitor the growth pattern of the corn field over a period of time. Comparison between the theoretical and experimental results over this time period are shown. The theory is also matched to experimental data from spring and fall deciduous trees.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 15, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA083922
Entities
People
- Richard A. Hevenor
Organizations
- Geospatial Research Laboratory