Project Number: 1245-13610-028-26
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Sep 01, 2011
End Date: Sep 30, 2014

Objective:
To improve model predictions of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and surface runoff used for operational drought monitoring by assimilating remotely sensed signals of soil moisture conditions derived from microwave and thermal band satellite imagery.

Approach:
Assemble remote sensing thermal and microwave remote sensing soil moisture datasets covering North America for 2003-present. Quantify incremental improvement in LIS-Noah model predictions of soil moisture obtained by assimilating thermal and microwave signals and develop optimized assimilation strategy. Compare moisture anomalies from optimized system with standard drought metrics: including operational NOAA drought products, U.S. Drought Monitor drought classifications, and known drought/flooding events.