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Retrieval of transplantation date (TP) using RISAT-1 medium resolution SCANSAR data for operational pre-harvest crop monitoring has been demonstrated. The methodology used 3-date HH-polarized RISAT data capturing the onset of transplantation (minimal backscatter) and rises as crop grows, for the country scale within 2–4 days of planting and was found to closely agree to ground conditions. Transplantation date ranged from June in north to October in Tamil Nadu. This variation significantly reduced to a month in the summer paddy due to irrigation. Transplantation patterns were different in both the seasons' paddy. Validation exercise for TP in four major states confirmed the feasibility of retrieval datasets for transplantation date monitoring as it matched within 2–4 days in north, south India and MP but 6–8 days in Assam. The technique has reached a level of maturity and is routinely used for monitoring the transplantation date by the Department of Agriculture, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayan glaciers, being unique in nature, need more detailed study over their evolution in the Himalayan glacial zones. A methodology has been developed using two-dimensional signatures from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) C-band dual-polarized data. A linear decision rule-based model has been generated using the signatures and the result further filtered by the use of a digital elevation model (DEM) to delineate glacial zones in the Himalayas. The advantage of using cross-polarized data is the addition of extra information from the volume of the glacial mass. Some important prerequisites for the analysis are SAR image ortho-rectification and calibration, glacier boundary delineation, and the development of sites for collecting SAR backscattering signatures from glaciers along the profile. The study deals with the evolution of glacial snow cover and glacial zones/facies in the Himalayan region under a subtropical humid climate from the ablation to the accumulation season. SAR images from 15 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 over the Gangotri and Mana glaciers were evaluated with the developed model. The identification of a superimposed zone during the ablation season is among the key results. The identified snowlines and other boundaries of glacial facies are studied on a temporal scale. The highest snowline altitude of Mana was recorded at 5768 and 5194 m for the Gangotri glacier in 2012. SAR data are also important in identifying glacial zones buried under winter snow cover. The results obtained are useful in regard to further glaciological studies of the Himalayan glaciers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Imaging radars provide information that is fundamentally different from sensors that operate in the visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a multi-mode, multi-polarization Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) on-board Radar Imaging SATellite-1 (RISAT-1) on 26 April 2012. Various data products from RISAT-1 SAR are now going through calibration-validation (cal-val) phase and soon will be available for the global users for operational and research purposes. In this regard, algorithms are being developed to retrieve various parameters in diverse application areas. This article deals with the in-house algorithm development for studying different resources using initial available data of RISAT-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a methodology to classify rice cultural types based on water regimes using multi-temporal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The methodology was developed based on the theoretical understanding of radar scattering mechanisms with rice crop canopy, considering crop phenology and variation in water depth in the rice field, emphasizing the sensitivity of SAR to crop geometry and water. The logic used was the characteristic decrease in SAR backscatter that is associated with the puddled or transplanted field due to specular reflection for little exposure of crop, with increase in backscatter as the crop growth progresses due to volume scattering. Besides, the multiple interactions between SAR and vegetation/water also lead to an increase in backscatter as the crop growth progresses. Classification thresholds were established based on the information provided by each pixel in each image, the pixel's typical temporal behaviour due to crop phenology and changing water depth in rice field and their corresponding SAR signature. Based on this logic, the study site (i.e. South 24 Paraganas district, West Bengal) was classified into three major rice cultural types, namely shallow water rice (SWR; 5 cm ≤ water depth ≤ 30 cm), intermediate water rice (IWR; 30 cm ≤ water depth ≤ 50 cm) and deep water rice (DWR; water depth > 50 cm) during the kharif season. These three types represent most of the traditional rice-growing areas of India. The methodology was validated with the field data collected synchronously with the satellite passes. Classification results showed an overall accuracy of 98.5% (95.5% kappa coefficient) compared with a maximum-likelihood classifier (MLC) with an overall accuracy of 95.5% (84.2% of kappa coefficient) with 95% confidence interval. The relationship between field parameters, especially exposed plant height and water depth with SAR backscatter, was explored to design empirical models for each of the three rice classes. Significant relationships were observed in all the rice classes (coefficient of determination, R 2, value more than 0.85) even though they had similar growth profiles but varied with water depth. The two main conclusions drawn from this study are (i) the importance of multi-temporal SAR data for the classification of rice culture types based on water regimes and (ii) the advantages and flexibility of the knowledge-based classifier for classification of RADARSAT-1 data. However, being empirical, the approach needs modification according to the current rainfall pattern and rice-growing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunar surface properties at both polar and equatorial regions were studied using data from the miniaturized synthetic aperture radar (Mini-SAR) on-board Chandrayaan-1. The Mini-SAR sensor was operated at the S-band (2.38 GHz) with left circular polarization for transmission, and horizontal and vertical polarizations for reception. The returned signal was stored in planetary data system format, where each pixel in an image strip was represented by the corresponding Stokes vectors. The study showed that circular polarization ratio, which is an important parameter that represents scattering associated with planetary ice as well as dihedral reflection, was anomalously high inside some of the craters in the polar regions. Other Stokes parameters such as degree of polarization (m) and LH-LV relative phase (δ) also showed distinctly different types of scattering mechanisms inside and outside the craters on the lunar surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop an operational methodology for estimating soil moisture and crop biophysical parameters and to generate a crop cover map, backscattering signatures of vegetation canopies are investigated using multitemporal Radarsat synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data over a predominantly cotton-growing area in India during low to peak crop growth stage. A simple parameterization of the water-cloud model with volumetric soil moisture content (mv) and leaf area index (LAI) is used to simulate the microwave backscattering coefficient (σ0), as it is found to be a good candidate for operational purposes as demonstrated by several workers in past. The influence of crop height (H), LAI, and mv on σ0 is investigated during peak crop growth stage. A linear relationship between LAI and crop height is derived semiempirically, and a linear zone is chosen for analysis during the peak crop-growing stage. Estimation of average volume fraction of leaves (&Vsline;l) and attenuation factor (L) by two different approaches is discussed: 1) using linear relationship between LAI versus crop height and 2) from the water-cloud model parameter (κ) estimation by iterative minimum least square error approach. It is observed that model-estimated parameters agree well with the measured values within an acceptable error limit. At tower soil moisture, mv ≅0.02 (cm³ · cm-3), the dynamic range of &cigma;0 is found to be about +5 dB for 0-70 cm of crop height but monotonously decreases to null at a transition point, having mv ≈ 0.38 (cm³ · cm-3). A positive correlation is found between backscattering coefficient and crop height fill this transition point but shows a negative correlation beyond that, signifying the predominant attenuation by vegetation over soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of time series polarimetric C-band data for vegetation state monitoring was explored to understand the mechanism of growth and phenology for important winter crops in India. Parameters investigated were HH–VV phase difference (co-polarization phase difference, PPD), amplitude ratio, and polarization indices. Data were acquired during the entire growth phase categorized as early, mid/peak vegetative, and post-vegetative /flowering phase. The trend emerging in this study showed a shift in the phase difference distribution for agricultural areas relating to the growth rate for various crops. The time series data set revealed that the PPD is a function of frequency and was directly affected by crop type (planophile or erectophile), vigour, structure, and crop biophysical parameters, particularly biomass. The behaviour of crop biomass with PPD responded differentially across crop architectures and vigour classes. Co-polarization index was found to be a good measure for discrimination in early growth stages while cross-polarization index suited in advanced vegetative stages where geometrical orientation was uniform. The PPD captured the change in frequency distribution resulting in a peaked distribution at sowing changing to smooth, well-spread frequency distribution as the peak vegetation stage approaches. This histogram nature is observed to be gradual for high-biomass crops and peaked in case of the low-biomass crops. It is indicative of the rate of growth; a low peaked normal curve indicates faster growth rate and resulting in high biomass. The amplitude ratio in the later phase of growth as on the third date is similarly altered as in the VV returns from the crop. Intuition of the rate of growth and plant vigour is obtained from the temporal PPD pattern. The current study shows that while phase differences and amplitude ratio carry little information content on a single resolution cell basis, their spatial distribution over a wider time span can be used to derive quantitative relationships between SAR response and crop condition. The synergy of information involving the above parameters were used to derive useful information on the vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The surface layer of the Moon preserves vital evidences of lunar impact and cratering processes due to the absence of any Aeolian and fluvial erosion processes acting on it. By examining these evidences, which are recorded throughout the evolutionary history of the Moon, several basic aspects of lunar science can be understood, and this has direct relevance to the surfaces of other airless bodies within the solar system. In this study, rock abundance data obtained from Thermal Infrared (TIR) observations and radar Circular Polarization Ratio (CPR) data sets obtained from polarimetric SAR observations were correlated at some sample sites on the lunar surface. Preliminary results yielded qualitative and quantitative estimates for surface rock abundances. Except at distal ejecta deposits of young, bright craters a general correlation was observed between the two datasets. Mixed results were observed from the impact melt flows where the situation is complex due to the possible subsurface-volume and volume-subsurface interactions of the radar waves. But the flow features were clearly separated from the interior and ejecta regions of their parent craters in terms of CPR and rock abundances. The extent and distributions of pyroclastic deposits and dark haloed regions could not be distinctly identified at the resolution of datasets utilized. Near Gerasimovich D crater, the Diviner Radiometer has provided the first TIR observations of a newly discovered impact melt flow which was not visible in the optical imagery. This facilitated the first ever quantitative comparisons of the radar CPR and rock abundance values near such a region. Also, significant differences in spatial patterns between the radar and rock concentration data sets were observed, owing to the differences in the sensitivity of the two observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The miniaturized synthetic aperture radar Mini-SAR onboard Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission was the first ever lunar orbiting SAR that acquired several data strips covering a wide variety of geological units over lunar equatorial and low latitude regions, some of which were not studied earlier at radar wavelengths. The Mini-SAR observations, complemented by high resolution optical imagery and higher incidence angle radar datasets, were effectively used to create a catalog of SAR backscatter properties of various lunar geological features. The radar backscatter along with the parameters circular polarization ratio (CPR), relative phase (δ) and m (the degree of polarization)–chi (the Poincare ellipticity) decomposition technique were used to study the scattering mechanisms, surface/sub-surface roughness and regional topography of some of the craters and their ejecta fields. The study revealed that the Taylor and Descartes craters in the lunar highlands region were characterized by high backscatter and low CPR values, while the Maunder and Kopff craters in the Mare Orientale basin were characterized by relatively low backscatter and elevated CPR values. The fresh crater Jackson and its ejecta blankets on the lunar far-side showed very high backscatter along with elevated CPR values due to the presence of abundant wavelength-scale scatterers. The radar dark Pyroclastic Orientale ring deposits showed both low backscatter and low CPR values, as reported by previous radar observations of pyroclastic deposits. The elevated CPR values corresponding to the interior and exterior of Santos Dumont crater could be attributed to rough crater walls and regional topography, respectively. Finally, attempt was made to bring out the differences in the origin of two similar-sized craters Taylor and Kopff, with the help of SAR polarimetric parameters. Differences in the CPR values of Mare and highland craters were attributed to the sensitivity of CPR to the ilmenite content and presence of surface/sub-surface rocks with diameter of about one-tenth the radar wavelength and larger. This could act as a potential method to distinguish craters of different origin and (or) composition, where the information regarding relative age and regolith composition are not available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work deals with multisensor data fusion to obtain landcover classification. The role of featurealevel fusion using the Dempster-hafer rule and that of data-level fusion in the MRF context is studied in this paper to obtain an optimally segmented image. Subsequently, segments are validated and classification ace curacy for the test data is evaluated. Two examples of data fusion of optical images and a synthetic aperture radar image are presented, each set having been acquired on different dates. Classification accuracies of the technique proposed are compared with those of some recent techniques in literature for the same image data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]