{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T13:35:55Z","timestamp":1773408955780,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,8,18]],"date-time":"2017-08-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1503014400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Grant 61401477"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant 61401477"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The overestimation of volume scattering (OVS) is an intrinsic drawback in model-based polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) target decomposition. It severely impacts the accuracy measurement of scattering power and leads to scattering mechanism ambiguity. In this paper, a hierarchical extended general four-component scattering power decomposition method (G4U) is presented. The conventional G4U is first proposed by Singh et al. and it has advantages in full use of information and volume scattering characterization. However, the OVS still exists in the G4U and it causes a scattering mechanism ambiguity in some oriented urban areas. In the proposed method, matrix rotations by the orientation angle and the helix angle are applied. Afterwards, the transformed coherency matrix is applied to the four-component decomposition scheme with two refined models. Moreover, the branch condition applied in the G4U is substituted by the ratio of correlation coefficient (RCC), which is used as a criterion for hierarchically implementing the decomposition. The performance of this approach is demonstrated and evaluated with the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR), Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR), Radarsat-2, and the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) fully polarimetric data over different test sites. Comparison studies are carried out and demonstrated that the proposed method exhibits promising improvements in the OVS and scattering mechanism characterization.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs9080856","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,8,21]],"date-time":"2017-08-21T04:12:17Z","timestamp":1503288737000},"page":"856","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["A Hierarchical Extension of General Four-Component Scattering Power Decomposition"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6908-1975","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sinong","family":"Quan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Electronic Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0152-6621","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deliang","family":"Xiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Electronic Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China"}]},{"given":"Boli","family":"Xiong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Electronic Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China"}]},{"given":"Canbin","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Academy of NBC Defense, Beijing 102205, China"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4183-5106","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gangyao","family":"Kuang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Electronic Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,8,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2199","DOI":"10.3390\/rs4082199","article-title":"Four-Component Scattering Power Decomposition Algorithm with Rotation of Covariance Matrix Using ALOS-PALSAR Polarimetric Data","volume":"4","author":"Sugimoto","year":"2012","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xie, Q., Ballester-Berman, J.D., Lopez-Sanchez, J.M., Zhu, J., and Wang, C. (2016). Quantitative Analysis of Polarimetric Model-Based Decomposition Methods. Remote Sens., 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/rs8120977"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1016\/j.isprsjprs.2016.03.009","article-title":"Unsupervised polarimetric SAR urban area classification based on model-based decomposition with cross scattering","volume":"116","author":"Xiang","year":"2016","journal-title":"ISPRS J. Photogramm. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xi, Y., Lang, H., Tao, Y., Huang, L., and Pei, Z. (2017). Four-Component Model-Based Decomposition for Ship Targets Using PolSAR Data. Remote Sens., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/rs9060621"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"963","DOI":"10.1109\/36.673687","article-title":"A three-component scattering model for polarimetric SAR data","volume":"36","author":"Freeman","year":"1998","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1699","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2005.852084","article-title":"Four-component scattering model for polarimetric SAR image decomposition","volume":"43","author":"Yamaguchi","year":"2005","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"603","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2008.2000795","article-title":"Multiple-Component Scattering Model for Polarimetric SAR Image Decomposition","volume":"5","author":"Zhang","year":"2008","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2496","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2015.2487450","article-title":"Model-Based Decomposition With Cross Scattering for Polarimetric SAR Urban Areas","volume":"12","author":"Xiang","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2474","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2013.2262051","article-title":"Generalized polarimetric model-based decompositions using incoherent scattering models","volume":"52","author":"Lee","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1104","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2076285","article-title":"Adaptive model-based decomposition of polarimetric SAR covariance matrices","volume":"49","author":"Arii","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3349","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2046331","article-title":"A General Characterization for Polarimetric Scattering From Vegetation Canopies","volume":"48","author":"Arii","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3452","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2076285","article-title":"Model-based decomposition of polarimetric SAR covariance matrices constrained for nonnegative eigenvalues","volume":"49","author":"Arii","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1991","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2013.2257603","article-title":"On complete model-based decomposition of polarimetric SAR coherency matrix data","volume":"52","author":"Cui","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2732","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2041242","article-title":"Three-Component Model-Based Decomposition for Polarimetric SAR Data","volume":"48","author":"An","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2048333","article-title":"The Effect of Orientation Angle Compensation on Coherency Matrix and Polarimetric Target Decompositions","volume":"49","author":"Lee","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2251","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2010.2099124","article-title":"Four-Component Scattering Power Decomposition With Rotation of Coherency Matrix","volume":"49","author":"Yamaguchi","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1090","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2011.2157078","article-title":"Four-component decomposition of polarimetric SAR images with deorientation","volume":"8","author":"An","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2012.2203577","article-title":"Deorientation effect investigation for model-based decomposition over oriented built-up areas","volume":"10","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3014","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2012.2212446","article-title":"General four-component scattering power decomposition with unitary transformation of coherency matrix","volume":"51","author":"Singh","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2011.2162935","article-title":"Four-component scattering power decomposition with extended volume scattering model","volume":"9","author":"Sato","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2110","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2015.2451369","article-title":"An adaptive general four-component scattering power decomposition with unitary transformation of coherency matrix (AG4U)","volume":"12","author":"Bhattacharya","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3838","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2011.2138146","article-title":"Volume scattering modeling in PolSAR decompositions: Study of ALOS PALSAR data over boreal forest","volume":"49","author":"Antropov","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xie, Q., Ballester-Berman, D., Lopez-Sanchez, J.M., Zhu, J., and Wang, C. (2017). On the Use of Generalized Volume Scattering Models for the Improvement of General Polarimetric Model-Based Decomposition. Remote Sens., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/rs9020117"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1049\/iet-rsn.2016.0105","article-title":"Multiple-component polarimetric decomposition with new volume scattering models for PolSAR urban areas","volume":"11","author":"Xiang","year":"2017","journal-title":"IET Radar Sonar Navig."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1926","DOI":"10.1109\/LGRS.2014.2313955","article-title":"An improvement on the complete model-based decomposition of polarimetric SAR data","volume":"11","author":"An","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1667","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2008.916326","article-title":"POLSAR Image Analysis of Wetlands Using a Modified Four-Component Scattering Power Decomposition","volume":"46","author":"Yajima","year":"2008","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1080\/2150704X.2016.1271159","article-title":"Improvement of PolSAR Decomposition Scattering Powers Using a Relative Decorrelation Measure","volume":"8","author":"Ratha","year":"2017","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Lett."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xiang, D., Tang, T., Hu, C., Fan, Q., and Su, Y. (2016). Built-up area extraction from PolSAR imagery with model-based decomposition and polarimetric coherence. Remote Sens., 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/rs8080685"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2013.01.012","article-title":"A Comprehensive Change Detection Method for Updating the National Land Cover Database to Circa 2011","volume":"132","author":"Jin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."}],"container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/9\/8\/856\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T18:42:42Z","timestamp":1760208162000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/9\/8\/856"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,8,18]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,8]]}},"alternative-id":["rs9080856"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/rs9080856","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-4292"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-4292","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,8,18]]}}}