Modelling backscatter in bare organic soils

A study was conducted in 1996 and 1997 to develop a model that would simulate radar backscatter in histosols with different field managements. Measurements were made under various soil moisture content using the Canadian Remote Sensing Centre scatterometer. Seedbed and harrow in 1996, and harrow, moldboard and chisel treatments in 1997, were applied to plots with rows oriented parallel and perpendicular to the view angle of the antennas. The scatterometer operated in two bands (C, L), four polarisations (HH, HV, VH, VV) and four incidence angles (25/spl deg/, 30/spl deg/, 40/spl deg/, 50/spl deg/). This paper presents the methodology, the models and some results from 1996 data analysis. Actual models were not adequate to simulate the backscatter in seedbed plots except at some combinations of incidence angle and polarisation. They were not able to simulate the angular response of the signal when rows were perpendicular to view angle. Calibration and further development is on-going with 1997 data.