Application of multitemporal ERS synthetic aperture radar in delineating rice cropping systems in the Mekong river delta

The aim of this study is to use multitemporal ERS-2 satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images in delineating and mapping areas under different rice cropping systems in the Mekong river delta, Vietnam. Five change index maps were generated from the six images acquired between June and December, 1996. Using a 3-dB threshold, the pixels in each change index map were classified into one of three classes: increasing, decreasing or constant backscattering. The five change index maps were used to generate a composite map with 243 possible change classes. After discarding the minority classes, and merging the dominant classes with similar backscatter time series, the thematic classes of rice cropping systems practices in the study area were delineated.