Verification of Surface Scattering Models and Inversion Algorithms with the Polarimetric Backscatter Measurements of a Bare Soil Surface

Abstract

The backscattering coefficients of a bare soil surface were measured using an L-band polarimetric scatterometer, which were used to verify the validities of scattering models and inversion algorithms. The soil moisture contents and surface roughness parameters (the RMS height and correlation length) were also measured from the soil surface. The backscattering coefficients of scattering models with these surface parameters were compared with the measured backscattering coefficients. The soil moisture contents of the soil surface were retrieved from the measured backscattering coefficients, and compared with the measured surface parameters. This paper shows that the scattering models agree with the measurements, and also shows the inversion results.