Estimating canopy height and its changes at meter resolution from satellite imagery remains a challenging computer vision task with critical environmental applications. However, the lack of open-access datasets at this resolution hinders the reproducibility and evaluation of models. We introduce Open-Canopy, the first open-access, country-scale benchmark for very high-resolution (1.5 m) canopy height estimation, covering over 87,000 km2across France with 1.5 m panchromatic resolution satellite imagery and aerial LiDAR data. Additionally, we present Open-Canopy-∆, a benchmark for canopy height reduction detection between images from different years at tree level—a difficult task for current computer vision models. We evaluate state-of-the-art architectures on these benchmarks, highlighting significant challenges and opportunities for improvement. Our datasets and code are publicly available at https://github.com/fajwel/Open-Canopy.

Polarimetric incoherent target decomposition aims at accessing physical parameters of illuminated scatters through the analysis of the target coherence or covariance matrix. In this framework, independent component analysis (ICA) was recently proposed as an alternative method to eigenvector decomposition to better interpret non-Gaussian heterogeneous clutter (inherent to high-resolution synthetic aperture radar systems). Until now, the two main drawbacks reported of the aforementioned method are the greater number of samples required for an unbiased estimation, when compared to the classical eigenvector decomposition, and the inability to be employed in scenarios under the Gaussian clutter assumption. In this paper, both drawbacks are analyzed. First, a Monte Carlo approach is performed in order to investigate the bias in estimating Touzi's target-scattering-vector-model parameters when ICA is employed. Simulated data and a RAMSES X-band image acquired over Brétigny, France, are taken into consideration to investigate the bias estimation under different scenarios. Finally, the performance of the algorithm is also evaluated under the Gaussian clutter assumption and when spatial correlation is introduced in the model.

The multiplicative model, expressed as a product between the square root of a scalar positive quantity (texture) and the description of an equivalent homogeneous surface (speckle), is one of the most disseminated models used to describe high-resolution Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar clutter. Recently, a statistical test was proposed to verify the validity of the model. Within this context, this paper analysis, qualitatively and quantitatively, a P-band airborne dataset acquired by the Office National d'Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) over the French Guiana in 2009 in the frame of the European Space Agency campaign TropiSAR, carefully investigating the regions were the aforementioned does not hold.

The Independent Component Analysis (ICA) aims, based on higher order statistical moments, in recovering statistical independent sources and the mixing mechanism, without having any physical background of the latter. Recently proposed as an alternative to Eigenvector decomposition in the analysis of Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) data, it proved itself to be a very promising tool to better interpret non-Gaussian heterogeneous clutter, being employed in both urban area analysis as well as in snow monitoring applications. In this paper we intend to extend the range of applications of ICA based ICTD by investigating the results and the algorithm performance under tropical forest scenarios. Data from the P-band airborne dataset acquired by the Office National d'Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) over the French Guiana in 2009 in the frame of the European Space Agency campaign TropiSAR is taken into consideration to analyse the potential of supplementary information introduced by the ICA approach.

This letter introduces an alternative strategy for wet snow detection using multitemporal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The proposed change detection method is primarily based on the comparison between two X-band SAR images acquired during the accumulation (winter) and melting (spring) seasons, in the French Alps. The new decision criterion relies on the local intensity statistics of the SAR images by considering the backscattering ratio as a stochastic process: the probability that “the intensity ratio fits into the predetermined range of values” is larger than a defined confidence level. Both the conducted snow backscattering simulations and the state-of-the-art measurements indicate more complex relation between the backscattering properties of the two snow types, with respect to the conventional assumption of the augmented electromagnetic absorption associated to the wet snow. Therefore, rather than adopting the standard hypothesis, we analyze the wet/dry snow backscattering ratio as a function of the local incidence angle (LIA). After employing the multilayer snow backscattering simulator, calibrated with scatterometer measurements in C-band, we modify, to some extent, the range of ratio values indicating the presence of the wet snow, by including positive ratio values for lower LIA. By simultaneously accounting for the speckle noise, the proposed stochastic approach derives the refined wet snow probability map. The performance analyses are carried out both through the comparison with the ground air temperature map and by comparing two copolarized channels processed separately.

This paper presents an alternative approach for polarimetric incoherent target decomposition (ICTD) dedicated to the analysis of very high-resolution polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (POLSAR) images. Given the non-Gaussian nature of the heterogeneous POLSAR clutter due to the increase in spatial resolution, the conventional methods based on the eigenvector target decomposition can ensure uncorrelation of the derived backscattering components at most. By introducing the independent component analysis (ICA) in lieu of the eigenvector decomposition, our method is rather deriving statistically independent components. The adopted algorithm, i.e., FastICA, uses the non-Gaussianity of the components as the criterion for their independence. Considering the eigenvector decomposition as being analogs to the principal component analysis (PCA), we propose the generalization of the ICTD methods to the level of the blind source separation (BSS) techniques (comprising both PCA and ICA). The proposed method preserves the invariance properties of the conventional ones, appearing to be robust both with respect to the rotation around the line of sight and to the change of the polarization basis. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated comparatively using POLSAR RAMSES X-band and ALOS L-band data sets. The main differences with respect to the conventional methods are mostly found in the behavior of the second most dominant component, which is not necessarily orthogonal to the first one. The potential of retrieving nonorthogonal mechanisms is moreover demonstrated using synthetic data. On the expense of a negligible entropy increase, the proposed method is capable of retrieving the edge diffraction of an elementary trihedral by recognizing dipole as the second component.

This paper presents an elaboration of the ICA based ICTD, proposed in [1]. The method is applied on three different datasets and three distinctive aspects of its performances are considered. Firstly, we challenge the initial choice of the ICA algorithm, by testing the suitability of two representative tensorial (fourth-order) and one second-order algorithm. Further, we demonstrate the invariance of the proposed decomposition with respect to both the rotation around the line of sight and the change of polarisation basis. Finally, we analyse the potential of supplementary information contained in the second most dominant component.

In this paper we describe the benefits of RADARSAT-2 in the analysis of temporal changes in polarimetric parameters linked to the snow cover evolution during the winter season. The presented study took place over an instrumented area in the region of French Alps. The focus is set on the dry snow depth retrieval, using an original method based on principal component statistical analysis (PCA) of the polarimetric parameters values. The results obtained by this mean are compared with the network of simultaneous snow in situ measurements. The most thought-provoking result is the strong inverse correlation between the snow depth above the ice crust and the entropy, reflected through the very high coefficient of determination R2= 0.8439. In order to justify this observation, we propose an appropriate physical hypothesis.

This paper deals particularly with the sensitivity of the wet snow backscattering coefficient on density change. The presented backscattering model is based on the approach used in the dry snow analysis [1], appropriately modified to account for the increased dielectric contrast caused by liquid water presence. It encircles our undertaking of simulating and analysing snow backscattering using fundamental scattering theories (IEM-B, QCA, QCA-CP). The wet snow parameters are chosen according to the area of the particular interest - the French Alps, while the choice of the SAR sensor parameters (frequency, polarization) is primarily conditioned by the initially settled goal - reaching qualitative conclusions concerning wet snow backscattering mechanism. Based on simulation results, we state the dominance of the snow pack surface backscattering component, causing the backscattering to be directly proportional to the volumetric liquid water content. This result is confirmed by the performed in situ measurements. We illustrate as well the decrease of this effect with the increase in operating frequency.

This paper represents a part of our efforts to generalize polarimetric incoherent target decomposition to the level of BSS techniques by introducing the ICA method instead of the conventional eigenvector decomposition. We compare, in the frame of polarimetric incoherent target decomposition, several criteria for the estimation of complex independent components [1, 2]. This is done by parametrising the obtained dominant and mutually independent target vectors using the TSVM [3] and representing them on the corresponding Poincaré sphere. We demonstrate notably good performances of the proposed method applied on the RAMSES POLSAR X-band image, by precisely identifying the class of trihedral reflectors present in the scene. Logarithm and square root nonlinearities - two of the three proposed criteria for complex IC derivation prove to be very efficient. The best discrimination between the a priori defined classes appears to be achieved with the principal kurtosis criterion. Finally, the algorithm using the former two functions leads to very interesting entropy estimation.

Polarimetry and multi-pass interferometry extend the dimensionality of SAR images, therefore the necessity to have multivariate statistic (and non-Gaussian) distributions as models for these types of data: such are the SIRV (Spherically Invariant Random Vectors). However, as the stochastic model becomes more complex, correctly estimating its parameters gets difficult. More, although they are versatile, the SIRV models are not guaranteed to match the PolSAR / InSAR data. To evaluate the pertinence of those models with respect to the PolSAR and multi-pass InSAR data, through one of their most important statistic properties, namely sphericity, it is the purpose of this paper. The proposed analysis is illustrated with spaceborne multi-pass InSAR TerraSAR-X data.

This paper provides comprehensive analysis of the dry snow pack backscattering coefficient dependence on the density change, for various SAR sensor parameters and chosen dry snow pack parameters, characteristic for the region of French Alps. As the result, qualitative conclusions, based on applying fundamental scattering theories (Rayleigh scattering model, Quasi Crystalline Approximation, Integral Equation Model) on the particular distributed target are presented. They represent the ground for semi-empirical models, which may provide a satisfactory link between backscattering coefficient and snow density (as one of the quantities defining SWE), as well as the guidelines for the further radar acquisitions over the Alpine region in France.

This paper proposes the new method for wet snow mapping using SAR data. It represents a modified version of the existing Nagler's mapping method, based on winter/summer image comparison, which is considered as the classic one. Instead of the existing unique threshold, a variable threshold matrix (function of the local incidence angle for each pixel) is proposed, based on dry and wet snow backscattering simulation results. The new membership decision method (with the respect to the dry/snow classes) is introduced. It considers the intensity ratio as a stochastical process: the probability that “the intensity ratio is smaller than the corresponding dry/wet snow determined threshold” is larger than the desired confidence level.