Exploratory Data Analysis from SAOCOM-1A Polarimetric Images over Forest Attributes of the Semiarid Caldén (Neltuma caldenia) Forest, Argentina

The caldén (Neltuma caldenia) forest, a xerophytic low-stature ecosystem in central Argentina, faces increasing threats from land use change and desertification. This study assesses the capability of full-polarimetric L-band SAR data from the Argentine SAOCOM-1A satellite to characterise forest attributes in this ecosystem. We computed the Generalised Radar Vegetation Index (GRVI) and compared it with aboveground biomass and tree canopy cover data from the Second National Forest Inventory, under fire and non-fire conditions. We also assessed other SAR indices and polarimetric decompositions. GRVI values exhibited limited variability relative to the broad range of field-estimated biomass, and most regression models were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, GRVI effectively distinguished woody from non-woody vegetation and showed a weak correlation with canopy cover. Statistically significant, albeit weak, correlations were also observed between biomass and specific polarimetric components, such as the helix term of the Yamaguchi decomposition and the Pauli volume component. Key challenges included limited spatial and temporal coverage of SAOCOM-1A data and the distribution of field plots. Despite these limitations, our results support the use of GRVI for land cover monitoring in semiarid regions, emphasising the importance of multitemporal data, integration with C-band SAR, and enhanced field sampling to improve forest attribute modelling.