Combining TanDEM-X Interferometric SAR and GEDI Lidar Measurements for Improving Forest Height, Structure and Biomass Estimates

Abstract

Forest height, structure and biomass are widely recognized as three important elements to monitor as they describe state and development. Any global scale estimation of forest height, structure and biomass requires the support of spaceborne remote sensing techniques. Only Light Detection And Ranging (lidar) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) configurations can map forests in 3D with metric resolution and repeatedly in time, and contribute critically to this challenge. The NASA GEDI lidar mission and the DLR TanDEM-X interferometric SAR(InSAR) mission are expected to possess a great synergy potential in this regard due to the common sensitivity to the geometric architecture of the forest canopy and high resolution, and to the complementary acquisition geometries and measurement approaches.