An analytical study of wave propagation through foliage

A model is developed for the effect of foliage on the average or coherent field propagating in the foliage and parallel to the foliage-air or foliage-ground interfaces. The model is based upon a number of assumptions which considerably reduce its complexity to the point where it can be used by systems designers in evaluating the effect of foliage on Synthetic Aperture Radars operating near grazing incidence. The model is hypothesized to be valid in the frequency range of about 0.1 to 1.5 GHz for deciduous trees and from 0.1 to about 3 GHz for needle bearing trees. Comparisons with available measurements indicate a surprisingly high degree of agreement considering the simplicity of the model. Suggestions for future analytical and experimental efforts are presented.