Accuracy of wet snow mapping using simulated Radarsat backscattering coefficients from observed snow cover characteristics

Wet snow cover mapping by means of airborne and spaceborne SAR is operational today and successfully applied in rugged high mountain terrain and in agricultural area. This paper proposes a numerical study to estimate the accuracy of wet snow mapping by using a radar backscattering model that simulates backscattering from a multi-layer snowpack for various snow cover conditions and for SAR parameters specific to Radarsat (C-HH). Field measurements carried out in numerous sites during the winters of 1994 to 1996 in several areas of Quebec (Canada) have allowed to choose some typical snow profiles and the corresponding snow/soil parameters. Results indicate that under the assumptions used in the model and the simulations, for the standard mode S1 of Radarsat (20 to 27.4) and in the case of wet snow cover with liquid water content of 1%, the optimum relative under-and over-estimation of wet snow pixels are of the order of 23.9% and 13.4%, respectively. For wet snow cover at 2%, the algorithm operates with a r...