Microwave measurements and modelling of the permittivity of tropical vegetation samples

Microwave measurements of tropical vegetation samples (grass, casuarina, rubber leaf, rubber wood) at 9.5 GHz as a function of moisture content at 21°C are presented. A comparison is made with results calculated from six models for the permittivity of dielectric mixtures. Of these, only one of the models due to Polder, van Santen, and deLoor is found to give reasonable agreement, particularly for the real part of the permittivity. It is clear that more complex formulations for the permittivity of vegetation are necessary to model its behaviour as a function of moisture content and frequency.