Using multiple-polarization L-band radar to monitor marsh burn recovery

Aircraft L-band VV-, HH-, and VH-polarizations were examined as tools for monitoring burn recovery in a coastal marsh. Significant relationships were observed between time-since-burn (difference between burn and image collection dates; 550-900 days after burn) and returns related to all polarizations. As marsh burn recovery progressed, VV returns decreased while HH and VH returns increased. Radar returns extracted from control sites adjacent to each burn-simulated nonburn marsh and were not individually or in combination significantly related to the timesince-burn. Normalized by the control data, VH-polarization explained up to 83% of the total variations. Overall, the L-band multipolarization radars estimated time-since-burn within ±59 to ±92 days.