Microwave remote-sensing techniques are based on interactions of electromagnetic waves with earth surfaces at the microwave wavelength region. Information on earth surfaces are extracted from backscattered or thermally-emitted microwaves from earth surfaces. Scattering and emissive characteristics of terrain which characterize various terrain surfaces are called the microwave signature.
This paper reviews the recent studies on microwave signatures for remote sensing. The paper discusses experimental methods to obtain scattering and emissive characteristics of terrain and gives present knowledges on the typical surfaces on the earth: soil, vegetation, geologic surfaces, sea ice, snow, and ocean surfaces. The paper also discusses the theoretical studies on microwave backscatters from random media.
