Understanding the relationships between radar response patterns and the bio- and geophysical parameters of urban areas

This paper reviews the current understanding of the relationships between radar response patterns and the bio- and geophysical parameters of urban areas. Specifically, it examines the effects of radar system, ground target, and environmental factors on the intensity and pattern of radar returns from urban features. System parameters considered include radar signal wavelength, polarization, incident angle, and look direction. Ground target factors are the dielectric properties and surface roughness of urban features. The environmental variables examined entail terrain relief, street and structure configuration, soil and vegetation types, and the composition, fragmentation, and variation of urban infrastructure elements. The effects of radar data processing techniques on the detectability of settlements and the accuracy of urban land use/land cover mapping are also described.