Biomass retrieval from high-dimensional active/passive remote sensing data by using artificial neural networks

Retrieval of the biomass parameters from active/passive microwave remote sensing data is performed based on an iterative inversion of the artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN is trained by a set of the measurements of active and passive remote sensing and the ground truth data versus Day of Year during growth. Once the ANN training is complete, the ANN can be used to retrieve the temporal variations of the biomass parameters from another set of observation data. The retrieved biomass include canopy height, canopy water content and dry matter fraction, and the wetness of the underlying land. Two examples for wheat and oat are illustrated. The retrieved biomass parameters agree well with the real data of the ground truth.