Impact of root diameter and water content on tree roots detection using Ground Penetrating Radar

5 ppInternational audienceSeveral factors limit the root detection using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). By using simulations under optimal conditions in terms of mode operation, we establish a two-dimensional grid enabling to evaluate the detectability of roots according to their diameter and water content. The decision about root detectability is made by applying a chain of post-processing to simulation outputs. Using a bi-static GPR system involving folded complementary bowtie antennas, we also carried out laboratory experiments on “freshly-extracted” roots inside an anechoic chamber in order to get experimental radargrams and have a reference for simulation color scale