Eucalyptus Biomass and Volume Estimation Using Interferometric and Polarimetric SAR Data.docVIP

Remote Sens. 2010, 2, 939-956; doi:10.3390/rs2040939 OPEN ACCESS Remote Sensing ISSN 2072-4292 /journal/remotesensing Article Eucalyptus Biomass and Volume Estimation Using Interferometric and Polarimetric SAR Data Fábio Furlan Gama *, Jo?o Roberto dos Santos and José Claudio Mura National Institute for Space Research-INPE, Av. dos Astronautas, 1758, P.O. BOX 515, 12227-010 S?o José dos Campos, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: jroberto@dsr.inpe.br (J.R.S.); mura@dpi.inpe.br (J.C.M.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: fabio@dpi.inpe.br; Tel: + 55-12-3945-6517; Fax: +55-12-3945-6468. Received: 21 December 2009; in revised form: 22 March 2010 / Accepted: 23 March 2010 / Published: 31 March 2010 Abstract: This work aims to establish a relationship between volume and biomass with interferometric and radiometric SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) response from planted Eucalyptus saligna forest stands, using multi-variable regression techniques. X and P band SAR images from the airborne OrbiSAR-1 sensor, were acquired at the study area in the southeast region of Brazil. The interferometric height (Hint = difference between interferometric digital elevation model in X and P bands), contributed to the models developed due to fact that Eucalyptus forest is composed of individuals whose structure is predominantly cylindrical and vertically oriented, and whose tree heights have great correlation with volume and biomass. The volume model showed that the stand volume was highly correlated with the interferometric height logarithm (Log10Hint), since Eucalyptus tree volume has a linear relationship with the vegetation height. The biomass model showed that the combination of both Hint2 and Canopy Scattering Index—CSI (relation of ?°VV by the sum of ?°VV and ?°HH, which represents to the canopy interaction) were used in this model, due to the fact that the Eucalyptus biom