Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events

Remote sensing and land surface models promote the understanding of soil moisture dynamics by means of multiple products. These products differ in data sources, algorithms, model structures and forcing datasets, complicating the selection of optimal products, especially in regions with complex land...

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Main Authors: Xingwang Fan, Yanyu Lu, Yongwei Liu, Tingting Li, Shangpei Xun, Xiaosong Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-07-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/14/3339
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author Xingwang Fan
Yanyu Lu
Yongwei Liu
Tingting Li
Shangpei Xun
Xiaosong Zhao
author_facet Xingwang Fan
Yanyu Lu
Yongwei Liu
Tingting Li
Shangpei Xun
Xiaosong Zhao
author_sort Xingwang Fan
collection DOAJ
description Remote sensing and land surface models promote the understanding of soil moisture dynamics by means of multiple products. These products differ in data sources, algorithms, model structures and forcing datasets, complicating the selection of optimal products, especially in regions with complex land covers. This study compared different products, algorithms and flagging strategies based on in situ observations in Anhui province, China, an intensive agricultural region with diverse landscapes. In general, models outperform remote sensing in terms of valid data coverage, metrics against observations or based on triple collocation analysis, and responsiveness to precipitation. Remote sensing performs poorly in hilly and densely vegetated areas and areas with developed water systems, where the low data volume and poor performance of satellite products (e.g., Soil Moisture Active Passive, SMAP) might constrain the accuracy of data assimilation (e.g., SMAP L4) and downstream products (e.g., Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, CYGNSS). Remote sensing has the potential to detect irrigation signals depending on algorithms and products. The single-channel algorithm (SCA) shows a better ability to detect irrigation signals than the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM). SMAP SCA-H and SCA-V products are the most sensitive to irrigation, whereas the LPRM-based Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) and European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) passive products cannot reflect irrigation signals. The results offer insight into optimal product selection and algorithm improvement.
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spelling doaj.art-20a4e14e21f6464cbe4490bbd7b0ecf32023-12-03T12:10:41ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922022-07-011414333910.3390/rs14143339Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation EventsXingwang Fan0Yanyu Lu1Yongwei Liu2Tingting Li3Shangpei Xun4Xiaosong Zhao5Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, ChinaAnhui Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Sciences and Remote Sensing of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaAnhui Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Sciences and Remote Sensing of Anhui Province, Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, ChinaRemote sensing and land surface models promote the understanding of soil moisture dynamics by means of multiple products. These products differ in data sources, algorithms, model structures and forcing datasets, complicating the selection of optimal products, especially in regions with complex land covers. This study compared different products, algorithms and flagging strategies based on in situ observations in Anhui province, China, an intensive agricultural region with diverse landscapes. In general, models outperform remote sensing in terms of valid data coverage, metrics against observations or based on triple collocation analysis, and responsiveness to precipitation. Remote sensing performs poorly in hilly and densely vegetated areas and areas with developed water systems, where the low data volume and poor performance of satellite products (e.g., Soil Moisture Active Passive, SMAP) might constrain the accuracy of data assimilation (e.g., SMAP L4) and downstream products (e.g., Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, CYGNSS). Remote sensing has the potential to detect irrigation signals depending on algorithms and products. The single-channel algorithm (SCA) shows a better ability to detect irrigation signals than the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM). SMAP SCA-H and SCA-V products are the most sensitive to irrigation, whereas the LPRM-based Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) and European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) passive products cannot reflect irrigation signals. The results offer insight into optimal product selection and algorithm improvement.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/14/3339soil moisturecroplandvalidationprecipitationirrigation
spellingShingle Xingwang Fan
Yanyu Lu
Yongwei Liu
Tingting Li
Shangpei Xun
Xiaosong Zhao
Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
Remote Sensing
soil moisture
cropland
validation
precipitation
irrigation
title Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
title_full Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
title_fullStr Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
title_full_unstemmed Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
title_short Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events
title_sort validation of multiple soil moisture products over an intensive agricultural region overall accuracy and diverse responses to precipitation and irrigation events
topic soil moisture
cropland
validation
precipitation
irrigation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/14/3339
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