Semi-empirical calibration of the Integral Equation Model for SAR data in C-band and cross polarization using radar images and field measurements

The estimation of surface soil parameters (moisture and roughness) from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images requires the use of well-calibrated backscattering models. The objective of this paper is to extend the semi-empirical calibration of the backscattering Integral Equation Model (IEM) initially proposed by Baghdadi et al. (2004 and 2006) for HH and VV polarizations to HV polarization. The approach consisted in replacing the measured correlation length by a fitting/calibration parameter so that model simulations would closely agree with radar measurements. This calibration in C-band covers radar configurations with incidence angles between 24° and 45.8°. Good agreement was found between the backscattering coefficient provided by the SAR and that simulated by the calibrated version of the IEM