The effect of leaf geometry on the microwave backscatter from leaves

An understanding of microwave backscatter from canopies is required in the development of methods to derive biophysical variables from Synthetic Apert ure Radar (SAR) data. Physically based microwave backscatter models of cano pies rely upon simulating the average scatter properties of plant component s accurately. This work compares the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of idealized shapes (i.e. curved plates, rectangular plates, elliptical discs) used in the currently available radiative transfer simulations with the observed sc atter from real leaves at a frequency of 10 GHz using VV polarization. This preliminary work suggests that these simple representations do not charact erize leaves adequately. Effects associated with the surface roughness of l eaves are observed to be particularly important.