Effect of Combined Direct Ground and Double-Bounce Mechanisms on the Homogeneous Volume over Ground Model

Abstract:
The complex interferometric coherence expressions for the RVoG and the OVoG models were originally derived in a simplified way by neglecting one of the two possible contributions of the ground response: direct return from the ground surface or double-bounce interaction with the stems or trunks. When applied to agriculture, the influence of these contributions depends on both system and scene parameters, and none of them should be ignored a priori. Therefore, a more general formulation accounting for the simultaneous presence of both ground contributions should be considered. This work derives this formulation and analyzes the effect of the combined effect of both ground returns on the complex coherence. Additionally, the implications for a subsequent inversion procedure based on this model are also discussed.