A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle

The launch of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellites has led to the development of a series of L-band soil moisture retrieval algorithms. In these algorithms, many input parameters (such as leaf area index and soil texture) and empirical coeffi...

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Main Authors: Xingming Zheng, Zhuangzhuang Feng, Hongxin Xu, Yanlong Sun, Lei Li, Bingze Li, Tao Jiang, Xiaojie Li, Xiaofeng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/8/1303
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author Xingming Zheng
Zhuangzhuang Feng
Hongxin Xu
Yanlong Sun
Lei Li
Bingze Li
Tao Jiang
Xiaojie Li
Xiaofeng Li
author_facet Xingming Zheng
Zhuangzhuang Feng
Hongxin Xu
Yanlong Sun
Lei Li
Bingze Li
Tao Jiang
Xiaojie Li
Xiaofeng Li
author_sort Xingming Zheng
collection DOAJ
description The launch of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellites has led to the development of a series of L-band soil moisture retrieval algorithms. In these algorithms, many input parameters (such as leaf area index and soil texture) and empirical coefficients (such as roughness coefficient (<i>h</i><sub>P</sub>, <i>N</i><sub>RP</sub>) and crop structure parameter (<i>b</i><sub>P</sub>, <i>tt</i><sub>P</sub>)) are needed to calculate surface soil moisture (SSM) from microwave brightness temperature. Many previous studies have focused on how to determine the value of these coefficients and input parameters. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to obtain their ‘real’ values with low uncertainty across large spatial scales. To avoid this problem, a passive microwave remote sensing SSM inversion algorithm based on the principle of change detection was proposed and tested using theoretical simulation and a field SSM dataset for an agricultural area in northeastern China. This algorithm was initially used to estimate SSM for radar remote sensing. First, theoretical simulation results were used to confirm the linear relationship between the change rates for SSM and surface emissivity, for both H and V polarization. This demonstrated the reliability of the change detection algorithm. Second, minimum emissivity (or the difference between maximum emissivity and minimum emissivity) was modeled with a linear relationship between vegetation water content, derived from a three-year (2016–2018) SMAP L3 SSM dataset. Third, SSM values estimated by the change detection algorithm were in good agreement with SMAP L3 SSM and field SSM, with RMSE values ranging from 0.015~0.031 cm<sup>3</sup>/cm<sup>3</sup> and 0.038~0.051 cm<sup>3</sup>/cm<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The V polarization SSM accuracy was higher than H polarization and combined H and V polarization accuracy. The retrieved SSM error from the change detection algorithm was similar to SMAP SSM due to errors inherited from the training dataset. The SSM algorithm proposed here is simple in form, has fewer input parameters, and avoids the uncertainty of input parameters. It is very suitable for global applications and will provide a new algorithm option for SSM estimation from microwave brightness temperature.
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spelling doaj.art-402b8667bef142f4b62a623470f84b042023-11-19T22:13:01ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922020-04-01128130310.3390/rs12081303A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection PrincipleXingming Zheng0Zhuangzhuang Feng1Hongxin Xu2Yanlong Sun3Lei Li4Bingze Li5Tao Jiang6Xiaojie Li7Xiaofeng Li8Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, University of Chinses Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaShanghai Aerospace Electronic Technology Institute, Shanghai 201109, ChinaShanghai Aerospace Electronic Technology Institute, Shanghai 201109, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, University of Chinses Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSchool of Geomatics and Prospecing Engineering, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changhcun 130118, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaThe launch of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellites has led to the development of a series of L-band soil moisture retrieval algorithms. In these algorithms, many input parameters (such as leaf area index and soil texture) and empirical coefficients (such as roughness coefficient (<i>h</i><sub>P</sub>, <i>N</i><sub>RP</sub>) and crop structure parameter (<i>b</i><sub>P</sub>, <i>tt</i><sub>P</sub>)) are needed to calculate surface soil moisture (SSM) from microwave brightness temperature. Many previous studies have focused on how to determine the value of these coefficients and input parameters. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to obtain their ‘real’ values with low uncertainty across large spatial scales. To avoid this problem, a passive microwave remote sensing SSM inversion algorithm based on the principle of change detection was proposed and tested using theoretical simulation and a field SSM dataset for an agricultural area in northeastern China. This algorithm was initially used to estimate SSM for radar remote sensing. First, theoretical simulation results were used to confirm the linear relationship between the change rates for SSM and surface emissivity, for both H and V polarization. This demonstrated the reliability of the change detection algorithm. Second, minimum emissivity (or the difference between maximum emissivity and minimum emissivity) was modeled with a linear relationship between vegetation water content, derived from a three-year (2016–2018) SMAP L3 SSM dataset. Third, SSM values estimated by the change detection algorithm were in good agreement with SMAP L3 SSM and field SSM, with RMSE values ranging from 0.015~0.031 cm<sup>3</sup>/cm<sup>3</sup> and 0.038~0.051 cm<sup>3</sup>/cm<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The V polarization SSM accuracy was higher than H polarization and combined H and V polarization accuracy. The retrieved SSM error from the change detection algorithm was similar to SMAP SSM due to errors inherited from the training dataset. The SSM algorithm proposed here is simple in form, has fewer input parameters, and avoids the uncertainty of input parameters. It is very suitable for global applications and will provide a new algorithm option for SSM estimation from microwave brightness temperature.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/8/1303soil moisturepassive microwave remote sensingchange detectionfarmland
spellingShingle Xingming Zheng
Zhuangzhuang Feng
Hongxin Xu
Yanlong Sun
Lei Li
Bingze Li
Tao Jiang
Xiaojie Li
Xiaofeng Li
A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
Remote Sensing
soil moisture
passive microwave remote sensing
change detection
farmland
title A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
title_full A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
title_fullStr A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
title_full_unstemmed A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
title_short A New Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm from the L-Band Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature Based on the Change Detection Principle
title_sort new soil moisture retrieval algorithm from the l band passive microwave brightness temperature based on the change detection principle
topic soil moisture
passive microwave remote sensing
change detection
farmland
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/8/1303
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