Engineering topics

Eom, H. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Eom, H. J..

13 records

NASA NTRS1986

Scattering from a random layer embedded with dielectric needles

Intensity scattering from a random layer imbedded with small dielectric needles is studied for applications to coniferous vegetation. The phase matrix of a thin needle whose length may be appreciable compared to the incident wavelength is presented. The effects of needle orientation on scattering is taken into account by averaging the phase function over angles of orientation. The backscattering coefficient from the layer is computed by solving the radiative transfer equation. The effects of operating frequency, orientation and size of a needle on like- and cross-backscattering are demonstrated. It was found that in backscattering angular trends are mainly controlled by the orientation of the needles.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Regression models for vegetation radar-backscattering and radiometric emission

Simple regression estimation of radar backscatter and radiometric emission from vegetative terrain is proposed, based on the exact radiative transfer models. A vegetative canopy is modeled as a Rayleigh scattering layer above an irregular Kirchhoff surface. The rms errors between the exact and the estimated ones are found to be less than 5 percent for emission, and 1 dB for the backscattering case, in most practical uses. The proposed formulas are useful in quickly estimating backscattering and emission from the vegetative terrain.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A study of backscattering and emission from closely packed inhomogeneous media

The effects of close spacing between small scattering spheres were examined by keeping the distance-dependent terms in the expressions for the transverse scattered fields. The phase matrix was then derived from these fields and was used in the radiative transfer formulation to model scattering and emission from a densely populated, inhomogeneous layer. Computed results were compared with those obtained when the phase matrix was specialized to the far-field condition. It was found that the use of the far-zone condition tended to underestimate both the level of the copolarized backscattering and the cross-polarized backscattering. In emission computations, the use of the far-zone condition overestimated the level of the brightness temperature. These effects decreased with a decrease in the volume fraction or an increase in the exploring frequency, as expected. An improvement on the snow parameter (density and crystal size) estimation was shown to be possible when this new phase matrix was used.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self compensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self conpensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A scatter model for vegetation up to Ku-band

A scatter model is developed based on the matrix doubling method for volume scattering and the Kirchhoff method in rough surface scattering. Scattering from vegetation is assumed to be dominated by leaves and a single leaf is modeled by a thin dielectric disk. In developing the phase matrix for the disk, field within the disk is taken to be constant over the disk thickness, but phase changes across the surface of the disk are accounted for. Comparisons of this scatter model with radar measurements indicate good agreements in polarization, angular trends, and frequency up to Ku-band. This represents a considerable improvement over low-frequency scatter models which are valid up to S-band.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A reevaluation of Stogryn's apparent temperature theory over the sea surface

The emission theory for the sea surface by Stogryn has been reevaluated. Results agree with Stogryn's paper except for small nadir angles where the apparent temperature versus wind speed behavior is in reverse of what was reported by Stogryn. By plotting the change in contributions by the sea surface emission and sky temperature scattered toward the radiometer as a function of nadir angle at two different wind speeds, it is found that the sky temperature effect is dominating at small nadir angles, while the change in surface emission becomes increasingly more important at larger nadir angles. It is also found that at nadir higher emission is associated with the polarization where E(arrow) field is aligned along the upwind direction than the one along the crosswind direction.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Backscattering coefficient of a perturbed sinusoidal surface

A coherent model for scattering from a randomly perturbed periodic surface is developed using the Kirchhoff approximation. It is intended to model wave scattering from ground surfaces with row directions. Results are illustrated and compared with an incoherent scatter model and measured backscattering angular curves from ploughed fields.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Scattering from a random layer with applications to snow, vegetation and sea ice

Two approaches for computing scattering from a random layer with an irregular interface are shown using the radiative-transfer principle. One approach is applied to a random layer to develop a scattering model for snow and sea ice, while the other is used to generate a scattering model for vegetation. It is noted that to model the scattering characteristics of a special medium, it is necessary to relate the electromagnetic parameters to the measurable parameters of the scatterers in the medium. Such relations are given and used to calculate theoretical estimates to compare with measurements acquired by microwave scatterometers.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Microwave emission from an irregular snow layer

Emission from an irregular snow layer is modeled by a layer of Mie scatterers using the radiative transfer method. Comparisons are made with measurements showing snow wetness effects and rough air-snow boundary effects. For convenience of reference, theoretical model behavior is also illustrated.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Effects of a rough boundary surface on polarization of the scattered field from an inhomogeneous medium

A combination of the standard Kirchhoff method for rough surface scattering with the Rayleigh phase function radiative transfer method for volume scattering is employed in the present study of the effect of surface roughness on the polarization of the scattered field. It is found that for pure surface scattering, the polarization ratio between zero and 20 deg incidence angles is sensitive to surface roughness change. When both surface and volume scattering are present, however, copolarization nulls by colatitude or degree of polarization at zero to 15 deg incidence angle, and copolarization or crosspolarization nulls by longitude at large incidence angles, are better indicators of surface roughness changes. It is noted that degree of polarization and copolarization nulls by colatitude vary monotonously with incidence angle, while in combined surface and volume scattering these have, respectively, a minimum and a maximum. This characteristic allows the separation of combined surface and volume scattering from pure surface or volume scattering.

Fung, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A comparison between backscattering coefficients using Gaussian and non-Gaussian surface statistics

Backscattering coefficients computed using Gaussian and non-Gaussian surface statistics are compared. The computations are performed for a class of surface-height distributions and surface correlation functions. Results indicate that the coherent component of the scattering coefficient is strongly dependent upon the surface-height distribution. The noncoherent component also depends on the surface-height distribution and the surface root-mean-square (rms) slope when the rms surface height is large relative to the incident wavelength. On the other hand, when the surface rms height is moderate or small, the noncoherent component is sensitive mainly to the surface-height correlation function.

Eom, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

An approximate model for backscattering and emission from land and sea

A two-scale model for near nadir backscattering based upon Semyonov's paper is developed for random surfaces with rms surface height smaller than one-half the incident wavelength. Reasonable estimates are obtained when this model is applied to interpret both land and sea measurements. By generalizing this approximate model (not corrected for scattering by small-scale roughnesses for scattering at large incident angles) to the bistatic case and then using it for emission calculations, reasonable estimates near nadir are also obtained when applied to emissions from the bare ground and the sea surfaces.

Fung, A. K.↗