Agricultural monitoring using pursuit monostatic TanDEM-X coherence in the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract:
This paper investigates the use of pursuit monostatic TanDEM-X coherence for the monitoring of crops and associated agricultural practices in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. HH coherence is calculated using same-date and multi-date image pairs from December 2014 to March 2015, and analysed per field and per crop type. Same-date coherence imagery with a 10-second temporal baseline showed a sensitivity to overall crop cover, as well as changes in crop growth. Multi-date coherence using the same master, and calculated with progressively longer temporal baselines (11-88 days), was shown to be useful in detecting agricultural activities such as ploughing.