Sentinel-1 Radar Bands#

When exporting a radar mosaic from the SEPAL platform, the following radar band metrics are available for analysis:

Basic Radar Metrics (VV and VH Polarizations)#

Metrics Included:
- VV_min, VV_max, VV_mean, VV_std, VV_med: Statistics of the VV polarization signal, covering minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, and median.
- VH_min, VH_max, VH_mean, VH_std, VH_med: Similar statistics for the VH polarization.
- ratio_VV_med_VH_med: The ratio of the median values of VV to VH polarizations, indicating surface roughness and moisture.
- VV_cv, VH_cv: Coefficient of variation for VV and VH, showing the variability relative to the mean.
- NDCV (Normalized Difference Coefficient of Variation): A normalized measure that highlights differences in texture or moisture content between VV and VH returns.
- orbit: The orbit direction (ascending or descending), which can affect the radar’s observation angle and thus the backscatter properties.
Description: These metrics are essential for analyzing surface features, moisture content, vegetation, and other land cover characteristics using radar backscatter properties.
Usage: Widely used in agricultural monitoring, flood mapping, forest monitoring, and urban expansion studies.

Metrics Included (Only if harmonic dependents are available):
- VV_phase, VV_amp, VV_res: Phase, amplitude, and residuals of the VV signal following harmonic analysis.
- VH_phase, VH_amp, VH_res: Similar metrics for the VH signal.
Description: Harmonic analysis metrics help in understanding seasonal variations and temporal patterns in the radar signal, useful for long-term monitoring.
Usage: Ideal for studying seasonal changes in vegetation, detecting changes in water bodies over time, and monitoring environmental changes.