Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021

Abstract Soil moisture (SM) is an important component for many applications in agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, and ecology. In past decades, passive/active microwave sensors onboard Earth observation satellites are utilized to obtain SM estimates from radiometer or radar observations. In this s...

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Main Authors: Bin Fang, Venkataraman Lakshmi, Runze Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-03-01
Series:Vadose Zone Journal
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20305
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author Bin Fang
Venkataraman Lakshmi
Runze Zhang
author_facet Bin Fang
Venkataraman Lakshmi
Runze Zhang
author_sort Bin Fang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Soil moisture (SM) is an important component for many applications in agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, and ecology. In past decades, passive/active microwave sensors onboard Earth observation satellites are utilized to obtain SM estimates from radiometer or radar observations. In this study, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Level 3 daily SM retrievals at 25‐km spatial resolution between 2010 and 2021 were downscaled through an apparent thermal inertia principle‐based algorithm. The 1‐km downscaled SMOS SM retrievals were validated by in situ measurements from 635 sites of 19 SM networks in the world, which were acquired from the International Soil Moisture Network and Texas Soil Observation Network.  Additionally, the validation results of the SMOS SM products were compared with those of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) global Level 2 enhanced SM products at 1‐km downscaled and original 9‐km resolution in 2015–2021. It shows that the downscaled SMOS SM data have an overall improved accuracy and outperform the coarse‐resolution 25‐km data, with a lower unbiased Root Mean Squared Error of 0.114 m3/m3 on average.
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spelling doaj.art-3ce90216e9c94a0394158b2c444553e42024-03-13T15:47:59ZengWileyVadose Zone Journal1539-16632024-03-01232n/an/a10.1002/vzj2.20305Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021Bin Fang0Venkataraman Lakshmi1Runze Zhang2Department of Engineering Systems and Environment University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USADepartment of Engineering Systems and Environment University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USADepartment of Engineering Systems and Environment University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USAAbstract Soil moisture (SM) is an important component for many applications in agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, and ecology. In past decades, passive/active microwave sensors onboard Earth observation satellites are utilized to obtain SM estimates from radiometer or radar observations. In this study, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Level 3 daily SM retrievals at 25‐km spatial resolution between 2010 and 2021 were downscaled through an apparent thermal inertia principle‐based algorithm. The 1‐km downscaled SMOS SM retrievals were validated by in situ measurements from 635 sites of 19 SM networks in the world, which were acquired from the International Soil Moisture Network and Texas Soil Observation Network.  Additionally, the validation results of the SMOS SM products were compared with those of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) global Level 2 enhanced SM products at 1‐km downscaled and original 9‐km resolution in 2015–2021. It shows that the downscaled SMOS SM data have an overall improved accuracy and outperform the coarse‐resolution 25‐km data, with a lower unbiased Root Mean Squared Error of 0.114 m3/m3 on average.https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20305
spellingShingle Bin Fang
Venkataraman Lakshmi
Runze Zhang
Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
Vadose Zone Journal
title Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
title_full Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
title_fullStr Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
title_full_unstemmed Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
title_short Validation of downscaled 1‐km SMOS and SMAP soil moisture data in 2010–2021
title_sort validation of downscaled 1 km smos and smap soil moisture data in 2010 2021
url https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20305
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