Retrieval of forest stem volume using VHF SAR

Israelsson, H.; Ulander, Lars M. H.; Askne, J.; Fransson, Johan E. S.; Frölind, P.-O.; Gustavsson, A.; Hellsten, Hans

doi:10.1109/36.551932

Cited by 48 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The forested areas have been considered in previous investigations for the retrieval of forest biophysical parameters using SAR remote sensing techniques [6,[32][33][34][35][36][37]. During the past 15 years, much effort has been made in regard to the forestry applications using PolInSAR (Polarimetric Interferometry SAR) techniques [38][39][40][41]. However, in this study we solely concentrate on the polarimetric information.…”

Section: Motivation and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Polarimetric Parameters for Growing Stock Volume Estimation Using ALOS PALSAR L-Band Data over Siberian Forests

et al. 2013

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Abstract:In order to assess the potentiality of ALOS L-band fully polarimetric radar data for forestry applications, we investigated a four-component decomposition method to characterize the polarization response of Siberian forest. The decomposition powers of surface scattering, double-bounce and volume scattering, derived with and without rotation of coherency matrix, were compared with Growing Stock Volume (GSV). To compensate for topographic effects an adaptive rotation of the coherency matrix was accomplished. After the rotation, the correlation between GSV and double-bounce increased significantly. Volume scattering remained same and the surface scattering power decreased slightly. The volume scattering power and double-bounce power increased as the GSV increased, whereas the surface scattering power decreased. In sparse forest, at unfrozen conditions the surface scattering was higher than volume scattering, while volume scattering was dominant in dense forest. The scenario was different at frozen conditions for dense forest where the surface scattering was higher than volume scattering. Moreover, a slight impact of tree species on polarimetric decomposition powers has been observed. Larch was differed from aspen, birch and pine by +2 dB surface scattering power and also by −1.5 dB and −1.2 dB volume scattering power and double-bounce scattering power respectively at unfrozen conditions. OPEN ACCESSRemote Sens. 2013, 5 5726

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Section: Motivation and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Polarimetric Parameters for Growing Stock Volume Estimation Using ALOS PALSAR L-Band Data over Siberian Forests

et al. 2013

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“…Flight campaigns conducted with the first version of the sensor showed promising results over oak forests. No saturation level was observed for the maximum forest stand volume of 280 m ha [9], [10]. During the last two years, flight campaigns over various forested areas have been conducted using the improved CARABAS-II system.…”

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confidence: 99%

Estimation of forest parameters using CARABAS-II VHF SAR data

Fransson

Walter

Ulander

2000

IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing

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Abstract-The use of airborne CARABAS-II VHF (20-90MHz) SAR data for retrieval of forest parameters has been investigated. The investigation was performed at a test site located in the southwest of Sweden consisting mainly of Norway spruce forests. Regression models predicting forest parameters from radar backscattering amplitude were developed and evaluated. The results showed a linear relationship between backscattering amplitude and forest stem volume, stem diameter, and tree height. The analysis also showed that the radar signal is strongly affected by ground slope conditions. The root mean square errors from the regression analysis, restricted to forest stands on near-horizontal ground, were found to be 66 m 3 ha 1 , 3.2 cm, and 2.3 m for stem volume, stem diameter, and tree height respectively. No saturation of the backscattered signal was observed up to the maximum stem volume of 625 m 3 ha 1 , corresponding to a biomass of 375 tons ha 1 . The results imply that VHF SAR data have significant potential for operational use in forestry.

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“…The longer wavelength radar has good foliage penetration; hence, the foliage-floor and trunk-foliage double-bounce scattering can be considered negligible. The backscattering amplitude due to trunkground scattering has been shown to be proportional to stem volume (Israelsson et al 1997;Jonforsen et al 2005). In hardwood forests, not only the main trunk but also the primary branches are expected to dominate the backscattering through branch-ground interactions and direct backscatter from the branches themselves (Israelsson et al 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The backscattering amplitude due to trunkground scattering has been shown to be proportional to stem volume (Israelsson et al 1997;Jonforsen et al 2005). In hardwood forests, not only the main trunk but also the primary branches are expected to dominate the backscattering through branch-ground interactions and direct backscatter from the branches themselves (Israelsson et al 1997). Understanding the exact mechanisms of this scattering and the sensitivity of backscatter to canopy structure (size, distribution, and density of the stem branches) is outside the scope of this study, but it is expected that BioSAR returns measured at multiple incidence angles respond to the volume (and thus the biomass) both in the main trunk and the major branches in hardwood trees of deliquescent form as in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergistic use of very high-frequency radar and discrete-return lidar for estimating biomass in temperate hardwood and mixed forests

Banskota

Wynne

Johnson

et al. 2011

Annals of Forest Science

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Abstract• Introduction Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass is essential to better understand the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems.• Methods The objective of this study was to determine whether biomass in temperate hardwood forests is better estimated using very high-frequency radar data (from BioSAR) alone or in combination with small-footprint discrete-return lidar data (both profiling and scanning). The study area was in the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, Virginia, USA (78°41′W, 37°25′N). Aboveground biomass for 28 stands was estimated using 131 basal area factor 10 point samples. The resulting stand biomass estimates were used as the dependent variable in a multiple linear regression. Descriptors of the lidar distributions (both profiling and scanning) and averaged normalized radar cross-sections in each of these stands were used as independent variables.• Results Regression results revealed the following: (1) neither BioSAR nor scanning lidar data alone are good predictors of stand biomass (R 2 =0.57, root mean squared error (RMSE)= 31.0 tonnes/ha and R 2 =0.64, RMSE=28.5 tonnes/ha, respectively); (2) BioSAR data combined with small-footprint discrete lidar data (either profiling or scanning) are the best predictors of stand biomass (R 2 =0.80, RMSE=21.3 tonnes/ ha and R 2 =0.76, RMSE=24.2 tonnes/ha, respectively); and (3) when used with BioSAR data for stand biomass estimation, less costly profiling lidar data convey the same information as more costly scanning lidar data.• Conclusion Useful synergy can be realized by considering lidar and radar measurements jointly in estimating aboveground biomass in hardwood and mixed forests.

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Retrieval of forest stem volume using VHF SAR

Cited by 48 publications

References 10 publications

Polarimetric Parameters for Growing Stock Volume Estimation Using ALOS PALSAR L-Band Data over Siberian Forests

Polarimetric Parameters for Growing Stock Volume Estimation Using ALOS PALSAR L-Band Data over Siberian Forests

Estimation of forest parameters using CARABAS-II VHF SAR data

Synergistic use of very high-frequency radar and discrete-return lidar for estimating biomass in temperate hardwood and mixed forests

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