Use of SIR-C/X-SAR and Landsat TM data for vegetation mapping in the Bavarian Forest national park and in the Ore Mountains

Within the project "Examples of SIR-C/X-SAR end products" (XEP), the application potential of polarimetric and multifrequency radar data was to be demonstrated for vegetation mapping in two regions of Germany. One aspect was the fusion of radar and Landsat TM datasets. In the region of Bavarian Forest national park, SIR-C/X-SAR and Landsat TM data have been used for comparable vegetation mapping in the old and new parts of the national park, especially regarding young forest areas and dead wood areas because of bark beetle populations. Best results were reached by classification of combined radar and TM datasets. In a region of the eastern Ore Mountains, multifrequency radar data were used to assist vegetation mapping within a forest regeneration program. In addition, an available forest damage mapping by Landsat TM was supplemented regarding differentiation of young forest states which could be remarkably improved by combined SIR-C/X-SAR and TM data.