CHARACTERISTICS OF SNOW SCATTERING WITH BICONTINUOUS MEDIA DISCRETE DIPOLE APPROXIMATION AND MEMLS

Microwave remote sensing is effective in monitoring snow distribution over large areas. The dense media radiative transfer model provides theoretical basis for deriving snow information through its scattering to electromagnetic waves. The microwave emission model of layered snowpacks (MEMLS) and the dense media radiative transfer model with bicontinuous media approximation of snow (DMRT-Bicontinuous media) are two widely adopted models. Both models assume a random media representation of snow. In this paper, the scattering properties of both models are compared and analyzed to provide guidance in model selection. Sensitivity of the bicontinuous media - discrete dipole approximation (DDA) to its numerical parameters is also discussed to improve usability of the model.