The relationship between radar polarimetric and interferometric phase

Generally, the polarimetric phase difference between the VV and HH channels is interpreted in terms of the spatial difference between the HH and VV scattering centers. In the case of interferometry, the phase difference at a particular polarization combination is usually interpreted as a three-dimensional position of a scattering center, allowing one to reconstruct the topography of the scene. Recent results from polarimetric radar interferometers suggest that a slightly different phase value is measured when different polarizations are used at each end of the interferometric baseline. If this interferometric phase difference is indeed interpreted in the same way as the traditional interferometric phase, it suggests that a slightly different elevation would be measured at each polarization, leading to the idea that polarimetric interferometry could provide information about the vertical structure of vegetation. This paper examines the relationship between the phase measured by a radar polarimeter and a radar interferometer.