Interferometric synthetic aperture radar coherence constraints in heavily vegetated tropics

Abstract Success of Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique for deriving digital elevation model (DEM) in the heavily vegetated humid tropic using Sentinel-1 SAR has been controversial, owing to difficulty achieving good coherence. Yet achievable coherence with over rarely reported. Consequently, this paper evaluates tropic. Twelve part Johor selected based on perpendicular and temporal baselines considerations, were used as pairs six reference secondary images respectively processed Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) derive maps analysed accordingly. The result shows that regardless image baseline characteristics, above 0.6 can only be achieved barely 10% study area. This shall serve eye-opener geoscience community, especially enthusiast looking forward leveraging clouds penetrating ability; open access short revisit circle apply DEM tropical environment. However, future studies focus assessing consistency patches their usability acquiring elevation.