Evaluation of a MetOp ASCAT-Derived Surface Soil Moisture Product in Tundra Environments.

ABSTRACT: Satellite-derived surface soil moisture data are available for the Arctic, but detailed validation is still lacking. Previous studies have shown low correlations between in situ and modeled data. It is hypothesized that soil temperature variations after soil thaw impact MetOp ASCAT satellite-derived surface soil moisture (SSM) measurements in wet tundra environments, as C band backscatter is sensitive to changes in dielectric properties. We compare in situ measurements of water content within the active layer at four sites across the Arctic in Alaska (Barrow, Sagwon, Toolik) and Siberia (Tiksi), taken in the spring after thawing and in autumn prior to freezing. In addition to the long-term measurement fields, where sensors are installed deeper in the ground, we designed a monitoring setup

SUBMITTER: Hogstrom E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6472635 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature