Polarimetric Features of Oyster Farm Observed by AIRSAR and JERS-1

• Published in: IEEE transactions on geoscience and remote sensing 2006-10, Vol.44 (10), p.2728-2735
• Main Authors: Seung-Kuk Lee, Sang-Hoon Hong, Sang-Wan Kim, Yamaguchi, Y., Joong-Sun Won
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied geophysics; Double-bounce scattering; Earth; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Farms; Interferometry; Internal geophysics; L-band; L-band polarimetric Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR); Laboratories; Marine; Marine geology; Oysters; Poles; Radar polarimetry; Radar scattering; Satellites; Scattering; Sea measurements; single-bounce scattering; Synthetic aperture radar; Tidal flats; tide height; Tides
• ISSN: 0196-2892; 1558-0644
• DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2006.879107

The polarimetric features of an oyster farm in a coastal area are analyzed to verify the applicability of radar polarimetry and interferometry. L-band Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) data and Japan Earth Resources Satellite (JERS-1) data are used to examine the unique structure of an oyster farm located in South Korea. A specific feature of the oyster farm is the presence of numerous arrays of structures of various orientations that consist of exercise-bar-shaped poles protruding above sea level. This paper demonstrates that tide level is strongly correlated with the double-bounce scattering power from the vertical pole structures. This phenomenon is also verified by laboratory measurements using a network analyzer. In the laboratory experiment, double-bounce scattering and total power showed increasing trends with increased height of the vertical poles. Single-bounce scattering is sensitive to the orientation of horizontal poles relative to antenna orientation. HH-polarization is the most effective technique for imaging oyster farms from L-band polarimetric AIRSAR data. The authors were able to use a three-component decomposition of the AIRSAR data to distinguish an exposed tidal flat from a submerged tidal flat. The characteristics of the exposed tidal flat are similar to those of the carbon sponge in the laboratory test, except that the double-bounce scattering power is slightly greater in the real-world example. The single-bounce scattering component in AIRSAR data is generally greater than that in laboratory measurements because of sea-surface conditions and oyster growth. When the horizontal pole was aligned normal to the radar look direction, single-bounce scattering was greater than the double-bounce scattering, even under water-covered conditions. While a difference in tide height of 10 cm contributed approximately 3.0 dB in the laboratory experiment, a difference in tide height of 20 cm contributed to only approximately 1.7 dB in the JERS-1 SAR image intensity. JERS-1 SAR image intensity for areas dominated by double- and single-bounce scattering was 0.78 and 0.56, respectively. Results confirm that polarimetric SAR data are useful in selecting areas dominated by double-bounce scattering in oyster farms