MICROWAVE SNOW BACKSCATTERING MODELING BASED ON TWO-DIMENSIONAL SNOW SECTION IMAGE AND EQUIVALENT GRAIN SIZE

The development of bi-continuous scattering model greatly enhanced the ability to model the snow scattering characteristics based on microstructure with most similarity to real snowpack. In this study, snow section images of snow microstructure were used to study the scattering characteristics of snow by using the reconstructed snow 3D microstructure. The equivalent grain size of the continuous random structure is derived by using stereological method. By combining with dense media radiative transfer equations, the snow backscattering is simulated. The polarimetric and frequency characteristics were studied.