Fully Polarimetric L-Band Brightness Temperature Signatures of Azimuthal Permittivity Patterns - Measurements and Model Simulations

L-Band microwave radiometry over land mainly focuses on observations of horizontally (H) and vertically (V) polarized brightness temperatures. However, it has been demonstrated that measurements of the full Stokes vector [1] are sensitive to additional environmental properties, e.g. azimuthal plant row orientation. Furthermore, model simulations show that also a smooth surface with a periodic permittivity pattern can cause azimuthal dependencies of the Stokes parameters. The objective of this paper is to present fully polarimetric Lband measurement results from observations of a striped wood and styrodur target, when rotated 360° in small steps. Measurement results of a striped soil and open water target are also reported. Finally, measurements are compared to model simulations, with very good agreement within the validity range of the model (stripe thickness <; λ/2).