Relationship Between PALSAR Backscatter and Surface-Roughness Parameters From Iron Laterites in CarajÁs, Amazon Region

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of micro- and macrotopography on PALSAR fine-beam dual backscattering in the characterization of iron laterites in Carajas Province, Amazon Region. The moderate linear correlation between sigma
⁰
and surface roughness indicated that, only for L-HH polarization, sigma
⁰
was modulated by the morphology of the geological surfaces.