A Survey of Temporal Decorrelation from Spaceborne Repeat-pass SIR-C and ALOS/PALSAR L-band InSAR Observatoins
Paul
Robert
Siqueira, University of Massachusetts, siqueira@ecs.umass.edu
(Presenting)
Razi
Ahmed, University of Massachusetts, ahmed@mirsl.ecs.umass.edu
Bruce
Chapman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, bruce.chapman@jpl.nasa.gov
Scott
Hensley, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, sh@radar-sci.jpl.nasa.gov
Kathleen
Bergen, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, kbergen@umich.edu
A US led mission for using L-band interferometry for characterizing vegetation vertical structure will likely utilize a repeat-pass observing strategy (as opposed to a tandem mission, which would be more costly). In such an instance, the dominant error source associated with the observations will be temporal decorrelation, or that amount of the target's electromagnetic characteristics that change in the intervening period between the observations. The length of this period is generally dependent on orbital constraints and the need for achieving global coverage; both of which counter the need for short repeat periods.
In this poster we present an analysis of temporal decorrelation which combines ground classification and a simple forward model for placing an upper limit on the degree of volumetric decorrelation that would be induced by the presence of vegetation. Using this method, it is possible to determine which ground-cover classes are most effected by temporal decorrelation, and thus may be a dominant error source in a spaceborne mission. Data from 1-3 day repeat SIR-C observations will be combined with 46 day repeat observations from ALOS/PALSAR for making the assessment.
NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Active Awards Represented by this Poster: