Application of Target Decomposition Theorems Over Snow-Covered Forested Areas

This paper compares two well-known polarimetric decomposition theorems, Cloude–Pottier and Freeman–Durden, applied to L- and C-band Airborne Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR-POLSAR) data acquired during the Cold-Land Processes Field Experiments. Three field campaigns were carried out in February 2002, March 2002, and March 2003 over a snow-covered open terrain, a sparse coniferous forest, and a dense coniferous forest. The analysis evaluates the ability of the two target decomposition methods for the identification and understanding of the main scattering mechanisms.