Project Number: 1265-13610-027-58
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Oct 15, 2006
End Date: Sep 30, 2009

Objective:
Global maps of soil moisture are needed to improve understanding and prediction of the global water and energy cycles. Two classes of problems have stood in the way of achieving the goal of global soil moisture mapping; one involves technology and the other remote sensing science. Aircraft based remote sensing has a particularly important role in linking ground sampling to the satellite measurement. In this project, data collected in a series of experiments with a new aircraft-based instrument will be analyzed and evaluated. The study will provide concept validation for the SMOS satellite and the first successful demonstration of this technology.

Approach:
Extensive data sets were acquired using the 2D-STAR in the Soil Moisture Experiments (SMEX) SMEX03 and SMEX04. In this project, tools will be developed and processing performed that will result in brightness temperature and soil moisture products for a wide range of conditions. A key step in this project will be the development of image reconstruction and brightness temperature retrieval techniques. This project is the first attempt to perform routine analysis; therefore, substantial efforts will be required in this area. These data will then be converted to soil moisture using existing algorithms as well as new alternatives made possible by the unique data the 2D-STAR provides. The 2D-STAR data sets collected as part of these experiments are technologically unique and include a range of soil moisture and vegetation conditions. Aircraft based remote sensing has a particularly important role in linking ground sampling to the satellite measurement. These data sets are critical to algorithm development, scaling research and future satellite product validation. The study will also provide concept validation for both the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite mission technology and algorithm.