Effect of standing stubble on radar backscatter from harvested rice fields

Abstract

The radar backscatter from standing rice stubble in a harvested rice. field is computed numerically using the method of moments with the equivalence principle and impedance sheet theory. The radar backscatter from a bare surface is also computed based on an empirical model, and combined with the numerical results from the standing rice stubble. Based on the analyses of the radar backscatter for various conditions of standing stubble, it is found that the effect of the standing stubble in a typical harvested rice. field is negligible when the water content of the stubble is less than about 40%.