Measurement of Polarimetric Backscattering Characteristics of Random Media.

Radar polarimetry is considered a new subject of study in the field of microwave remote sensing. This paper describes a measurement method to obtain polarimetric microwave backseattering characteristics of random media using a power-measuring type, indoor-use microwave scatterometer. In general, the polarimetric backscattering characteristics are measured in the form of scattering matrices. However, in the method here, modified Mueller matrices ot random media were obtained by measuring backscattering coefficients for multiple polarizations. For transmitting and receiving polarizations, the horizontal linear, vertical linear, left-handed circular, right-handed circular, 45 degrees tilted linear, and 135 degrees tilted linear were combined. In comparing the measurement method to obtain scattering matrices, the method here- in has these features: i) the modified Mueller matrices which represent the back- scattering characteristics of random media are derived directly; ii) since phase measurement is avoided, the measurement system is simple and the calibration technique becomes stratight forward. In this paper, the measurement method, also with the fabricated scatterometer for the C band and the experimental results for backscatters from the random media composed of needle-shaped scatters are discussed, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]