Agriscatt : quality analysis, data description and statistical analysis of the Dutscat 1988 data

A quality analysis and a data interpretation are presented of the DUTSCAT (Delft University of Technology SCATterometer) data collected over Southern Flevoland in 1988 during the Agriscatt campaign. Data interpretation was carried out in relation to crop type and crop growth of sugar beet, potato and winter wheat. The purpose of this study was to compare the backscatter behaviour of agricultural crops in different frequency bands (1.2-17.3 GHz), and to draw preliminary conclusions for crop classification and growth monitoring. Data quality analysis and the removal of low-quality data are described. After a phenomenological description of the radar data, the DUTSCAT data were compared to the historical X-band ROVE data (ground-based and airborne), and with radar data simultaneously collected with the ERASME during Agriscatt 1988. A comparison with DUTSCAT 1987 data is made throughout the text. The phenomenological data interpretation is supported by statistical correlation and principal component analysis. Finally preliminary conclusions are presented for crop classification and growth monitoring.