PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - M. Leonard Bryan
TI  - Radar study of a vegetated pediment
DP  - 1981 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
PG  - 305--308
VI  - 36
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/36/5/305.short
4100  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/36/5/305.full
AB  - Images from SEASAT-A synthetic aperture radar (SAR), L-Band (HH), provided data on the vegetational and drainage characteristics of an arid pediment near Tucson, Arizona. This pebble-covered pediment has two distinct vegetational associations: a creosote bush-bur sage (Larrea-Franseria) association on the finer soils and a paloverde-saguaro (Cercidium-Cereus) association on the coarser soils. The radar backscatter from the pediment proved to be related to the spacing and the amount of sur-face area covered by the two associations. In addition, mixed mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) and paloverde (Cercidium) provided strong backscatter and enhanced drainage patterns on the lower pediment surface.