Table 2.2 pg 2-14

Table 2-2. Optimal SAR Parameters for Land Surface Applications

APPLICATION AREA	PARAMETER
	RADAR FREQUENCY	POLARIZATION	*INCIDENCE* ANGLE	RESOLUTION	*SAMPLING* FREQUENCY
Vegetation Mapping	best results achieved if multiple frequencies are available; as a minumum, need two frequencies, one high and one low, e.g., L and C-band	important parameter in classification especially for single frequency systems	both low (20š to 40š) and high (40š to 60š) are desired	high resolutions are desirable for mapping smaller sampling units	higher sampling frequencies (greater than once every 2 weeks) not required for mapping purposes when multiple-channels are available, may improve classification for single-channel systems
Crop Monitoring	multiple frequencies are not always required, especially if multi-date data are used in classification	important parameter in classification especially for single frequency systems, not always necessary	lower angles (20š to 40š) are desired	higher resolutions are required for discrimination of small fields	higher sampling frequencies (greater than once per week) important for monitoring crop phenology and status and for improving classification accuracies
Biomass Estimation	L- or P-band are required but multiple frequencies are needed to develop best algorithms; as a minimum, L- and C-band are required	cross polarization data have most sensitivity to biomass variations; multi-polarization systems improve biomass algorithms	lower angles (20š to 35š) are required	for studying biomass dynamics in small forest stands, finer resolutions are required; for large area study, coarser resolutions can be used	high sampling frequencies are not required; sampling at proper phenologic stage and under optimum weather conditions is important
Monitoring Flooded Forests	L- and P-band are optimum, but some sensitivity at C-band if few leaves are present and HH polarization used	polarization very important for community discrimination; HH polarization most sensitive, HV and VV polarization can be important	lower angles (20š to 40š) are needed for maximum sensitivity to flooding	higher resolutions may not be as important as a high sampling frequency, but are important for mapping narrow features	high sampling frequencies usually important

Table 2-2 cont'd pg 2-15

Table 2-2 (continued). Optimal SAR Parameters for Land Surface Applications (continued)

APPLICATION AREA	PARAMETER
	RADAR FREQUENCY	POLARIZATION	*INCIDENCE* ANGLE	RESOLUTION	*SAMPLING* FREQUENCY
Monitoring Coastal/ Low Stature Wetlands	X and C-band are required	for discrimination of different vegetation types, multiple polarizations are required; use HH or VV for monitoring inundation	intermediate angles (30š to 40š) are desired	high resolution is required in some cases	higher sampling frequencies are required for monitoring flooding dynamics; multi-temporal data can improve classification accuracy
Monitoring Tundra Inundation	X and C-band are required	for discrimination of different vegetation types, multiple polarizations are required; use HH or VV for monitoring inundation	lower angles (20š to 40š) are desired	high resolution is required in some cases	higher sampling frequencies required for monitoring flooding dynamics; multi-temporal data improves classification accuracy
Monitoring Fire-Disturbed Boreal Forests	X and C-band are optimum, multiple frequencies improve monitoring of burn severity	polarization not important for relative soil moisture monitoring, but very important in moisture estimation and monitoring severity of burns	lower angles desired (20š to 40š) but may not be necessary	high resolution is not required	high sampling frequencies required for monitoring seasonal variations in soil moisture
Detection of Frozen/Thawed Vegetation	can be detected at both low and high radar frequencies; L-band data may be more effective; multiple-frequencies may be required to differentiate vegetation thawing from variations in surface moisture	polarization may be important to differentiate vegetation thawing from variations in surface moisture	incidence angle not a critical parameter	high resolution is not required if high resolution vegetation map available	high sampling frequencies required