RADAR-BASED FOREST BIOMASS ESTIMATION

The potential of radar-based tree biomass estimation has been studied using polarimetric SAR data from the Freiburg test site of the MAESTRO 1 Campaign and scatterometer data from a test site in Finland. Using the Freiburg SAR data and polarizaiton synthesis, the most suitable po larization combination was obtained. In P band, the maximum correlatio ns, which were found near the linear HV polarization, were up to 0.75. In the Finnish test site, a strong negative correlation (correlation coefficient -0.65) existed between the pine biomass and X-VV backscatt er. When the combination of X and C bands (measured by the HUTSCAT sca tterometer) was used, a correlation coefficient of 0.81 was obtained.