Polarimetric Scattering Indexes and Deorientation Approach for Terrain Surface Classification

Inhalt:
Polarimetric scattering indexes are defined to set up the relationship between the entropy and co-polarized, cross-polarized backscattering measurements. Deorienation theory of polarimetric scattering targets is developed, which transforms the scattering vector of spatially oriented targets into the status with minimization of cross polarization. A new set of the parameters u,v,w,ψ is defined to describe and classify different terrain surfaces. Based on the vector radiative transfer (VRT) model of nonspherical particles above a rough surface, numerical simulations illustrate the parameters u,v,w,ψ and the entropy H. These parameters are applied to the unsupervised classification in polarimetric images. The terrain surfaces of polarimetric SIR-C and airborne SAR images are classified and orientation-analyzed.