SAR for surface water monitoring and public health

A specific double-bounce radar backscattering mechanism is used to measure water level changes in areas of wetland or inundated vegetation. The backscattered SAR signal from the water-vegetation double bounce mechanism is usually much stronger than the backscattered signal from the double bounce from dry surfaces. As an effect, the SAR amplitude from inundated vegetation is stronger than the one related to dry vegetation and the interferometric phase maintains coherence in time, making possible accurate phase measurements related to water level changes.