RISAT-1A (EOS-4) Medium and Fine resolution data utilization for field crop and plantation monitoring

Abstract The utility of the multidimension-multiparametric Radar data has been demonstrated in the past in a big way for Agricultural applications and more so with the Radar Imaging SATellite (RISAT)-1 data during the last decade. The advancement of the technology in Radar in the recent times was witnessed by the Indian SAR research community in achieving the hybrid/compact and full-polarimetric mode capability in both high resolution FRS (Fine Resolution Stripmap) mode as well as larger swath MRS (Medium Resolution ScanSAR) data. The later is catering to the multifaceted applications from oceanography to glaciers and particularly for the Agriculture and field crops. The latter applications was limited in the earlier satellite of RISAT-1 but immense potential is demonstrated in this study not only for the crop discrimination and mapping but more so utilizing the value added products for crop growth progress and mapping as well as biophysical parameter retrieval. The various stages of the crop both standing and harvested as well as biophysical parameters was found to have strong sensitivity to this data. Apart from field crops, plantation crops which did not receive much attention in the past, is investigated here.