See the Unseen with Sisir Radars P-Band SAR: Superior Foliage Penetrationitle

The best way to assess the foliage penetration capability of P band SAR is by assessing Polarimetric signatures in the SAR images.

In the polarimetric decomposition strategy we employed, three dominant colours represent three dominant signatures. Blue represents planar or slant surfaces. In other words single bounce targets. Red represents double bounce targets i.e., vertical structures like tree stumps, walls etc. Green represents typically depolarised scatterers, dominantly plant foliage.

We compare polarimetric images of identical areas, captured by L and P band drone SAR systems of Sisir Radar. L-band SAR image was captured on 17 the Dec last year. P-band image was captured almost one and half months later on 6th Feb this year.

L band image shows Ravi crop in early stages with less foliage. P band image was captured at late stages of Ravi crop with more overgrown foliage. Still, you can see blue tinge dominates P band image, indicating principal scattering from the ground surface or underground surface, penetrating the thick foliage. L band image has dominant signatures of green and red tinge indicating scattering from foliages and crop stems.