The use of a helicopter mounted ranging scatterometer for estimation of extinction and backscattering properties of forest canopies. I. Experimental approach and calibration

A helicopter-borne C-band scatterometer with the capability of collecting the backscattered power as a function of range is described. This instrument was repeatedly flown from May to September 1984 to study the microwave properties of forest canopies of aspen and black spruce in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. The characteristics of the instrument, its calibration, the data collection, and reprocessing, are described.<
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