Datacube Parametrization-Based Model for Rough Surface Polarimetric Bistatic Scattering

A datacube parametrization-based model for bistatic scattering coefficient estimation and pattern reconstruction is presented in this work for electromagnetic wave scattering from rough surfaces with low to high subsurface dielectric constants. A datacube of bistatic scattering coefficients is simulated using the Stabilized Extended Boundary Condition Method (SEBCM). The polarization-combined bistatic scattering patterns of the datacube are fit with elliptical (or circular) contours that are parameterized across magnitude level, center location, and major axis length in normalized wavenumber space. These parameters depend on the surface roughness, dielectric contrast, as well as the angle of wave incidence. The polarimetric bistatic scattering patterns can be reconstructed through fast interpolation over the contours and projection onto the polarization unit vectors. Good agreement is achieved between the reconstructed bistatic scattering patterns compared with the original ones in the input datacube. Though not physics-based, this datacube parametrization-based model allows quick estimation and construction of the polarimetric bistatic scattering coefficients and patterns. The model development approach can also be adopted to parametrize datacubes from simulations with other configurations or targets, e.g., surface with different correlation functions, multilayer surfaces, surface covered with vegetation, etc.