Modeling the Multifrequency Emission of Broadleaf Forests and Their Components

This paper shows a model study about the emissivity of forests, including litter effects. Detailed input data about forest geometry are obtained by direct measurements, with the aid of allometric equations and information taken by literature. Model outputs have been compared with multifrequency measurements carried out over five broadleaf forests in Italy. Fundamental ground truth was available. A general agreement between simulated and measured data is observed at L, C and X band. An analysis about the contributions of single forest components is done. Soil emission is low for higher forest volumes, but is appreciable for lower forest volumes. Finally, parametric simulations indicate that the emissivity tends to the unity at the higher frequencies and/or for trees with larger branch diameter