Discrimination of geologic units in Death Valley using dual frequency and polarization imaging radar data

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Abstract
Simultaneous analysis of dual frequency and dual polarization radar imagery of a portion of Death Valley, California has yielded a nearly complete discrimination of surficial geologic units. Radar imagery in like polarized L‐band (i.e., 25 cm wavelength), crosspolarized L‐band and like polarized X‐band (i.e., 3 cm wave‐length) were digitally combined and ratioed to enhance the variation in the backscatter cross‐section (i.e., albedo) of the different geologic units. In the case of Death Valley, the variation between the different geologic units is clearly reflected in the surface roughness or particle size. These, in turn, have a strong effect on the radar backscatter cross‐section.