A Model for RF Loss through Vegetation with Varying Water Content

Assessing plant water status is important for monitoring plant physiology. Radio signals are attenuated when passing through vegetation. Both analytical and empirical models developed for radio frequency (RF) loss through vegetation have been dependent on experimental measurements and those measurements have been completed in specific situations. However, for models to be more broadly applicable across a broad range of vegetation types and constructs, basic electrical properties of the vegetation need to be characterised. Radio waves are affected especially by water and the relationship between water content in vegetation expressed as effective water path (EWP) in mm and measured RF loss (dB) at 2.4 GHz was investigated in this work. The EWP of eucalyptus leaves of varying amounts of leaf moisture (0% - 41.5%) ranged from 0 - 14 mm, respectively. When the model was compared with the actual RF loss there was a systematic offset equivalent to a residual leaf moisture content of 6.5% that was unaccounted for in the leaf moisture content determination (oven drying). This was attributed to bound water. When the model was adjusted for this amount of additional leaf water, the average RMSE in predicted RF loss was ±2.2 dB and was found to explain 89% of the variance in measured RF loss.