Application of ERS-1 SAR data in agriculture and forestry

ERS-1 images were combined with radar simulation and crop growth models. The earliest possible stage to distinguish crops was the end of May for winter wheat and mid June for potatoes. Classifying forest classes was troublesome because of the small backscatter range and interaction with undergrowth and soil. Determining crop development at the beginning of the growing season was troublesome as the dynamic range in radar C band backscatter is too restricted. Temporal backscatter variation between beet fields decreased towards the end of the growing season. The large backscatter variation within beet fields cannot be explained by plant physiological, hydrological or soil physical characteristics.