Bistatic scattering from forest components. Part I: coherent polarimetric modelling and analysis of simulated results

Abstract

This article deals with the study of bistatic scattering by forested areas using a coherent scattering model. The contribution of the scatterers is considered (trunks, branches), as well as their interaction with the ground. This code has been extended from monostatic to bistatic configurations and we present all the tests we have performed with this tool in order to validate it as far as possible. The transmitter is at a fixed location and the receiver moves either in the incidence plane (only θ _s varies) or in all positions (θ _s and φ _s both vary). Our objective is to determine the main trends characterizing bistatic scattering by a forest. We study the variation of the scattering coefficient, when evolving from the backscattering to the specular configuration (only θ _s varies). Both radiometric and polarimetric aspects are analysed, first when considering a simple forest of trunks and then a forest with trunks and branches. Finally, we analyse the impact of both θ _s and φ _s for two cases: a vertical dielectric cylinder in free space and a set of vertical dielectric cylinders, arranged in different ways. Here again, the radiometric and polarimetric aspects are investigated to check the electromagnetic behaviour.