Rice paddy height estimation from single-polarization TanDEM-X science phase data

Rice is one of the most important crop, especially in Asian countries. In this paper, estimation of rice paddy height is conducted by Pol-InSAR technique, using a single-polarization TanDEM-X (TDX) data. It is necessary to modify a conventional Pol-InSAR inversion method for the single polarization because of the underdetermined problem in Random Volume over Ground (RVoG) model. In order to resolve this problem, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was generated using a TDX data acquired after the rice transplanting season. The ground surface was assumed flat due to the flooded water inside the rice paddy so that ground phase of the water surface could be estimated. The estimated heights of rice were compared to the in-situ data.