band can be detected in the 3 cm band because of the size and 
orientation of the leaves. For the 3 cm band a classification of 
the profile across the lowland meadows to the river results only- 
in open watering places (where free water was already observed on 
the meadow) whereas for the 30 cm band parts of the meadow with 
different moisture content can be recognized (fig. 6). 
4. Experiment CARIBE 
In April 1988 the experiment CARIBE was conducted in the republic 
of Cuba. Venue of the experiment was a test site near Bayamo in 
the eastern part of Cuba. There rice is cultivated on an area of 
about 140 ha. Special interest deserved the microwave data for 
investigating the flooded rice fields. The area was divided into 
12 large rice tables (subfields) with the rice on the northern six 
tables aged one month and the southern six tables aged about two 
months. The top water level differed from 5 cm to 10 cm depending 
on the micro relief of the plates. First measurements were carried 
out from a height of about 10 m at locations with different plant 
densities. These differences are characteristic for sown rice and 
could be expected to be higher for rice aged one month compared 
with rice aged two months. A definite relationship to the 
projective plant cover degree was detected by the microwave 
measurements (fig. 7). As the differences of the cover degree 
influence other vegetation indicators too, e.g. the vegetation 
index or the feature of curvature VM 2 which has been often used 
by us strong correlations exist between the features determined. 
In analyzing the profile data these correlation can also be used 
to locate areas deviating from normal conditions, e.g. to isolate 
dry areas (fig. 8) . 
So the area cultivated with one month aged rice and lower plant 
cover degree values under normal conditions (field is flooded) is 
characterized by decreasing vitality feature and increasing 
microwave signal. Dry areas however cultivated with rice from one 
to two months age are characterized by a lower value of the 
vitality feature and simu1tanously by a low microwave signal.