Complex Permittivity and Penetration Depth Estimation from Airborne P-Band SAR Data Applying a Hybrid Decomposition Method

Abstract

A method for estimating complex soil permittivity (or moisture) and penetration depth based on SAR decomposition is presented. By combining model- and eigenbased decomposition techniques in a non-iterative way, SAR observations are separated into single scattering components (soil, vegetation). The proposed method incorporates a multilayer rough surface scattering model to simulate the soil scattering contribution. Hence, permittivity and penetration depth can be estimated from SAR observations. Results are presented for the AirMOSS campaign within the MOISST site, OK, USA. As first results, a median value of 15.7 ± 2.03 for the complex permittivity was estimated from the 19 Pband data takes at the SoilSCAPE in situ station in Canton, OK, USA. Overall, the retrieval results for the real part of the complex permittivity are similar to in situ values at 30 cm soil depth, with differences in respective median values of ~2.7. Finally, the median of penetration depths at the Canton site is 21.5 cm.