Soil moisture estimation using multi‐incidence and multi‐polarization ASAR data

Nicolas Baghdadi (1) , Noha Holah (1, 2) , Mehrez Zribi (3)

1 BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM)
2 ISTO - Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans
3 CETP - Centre d'étude des environnements terrestre et planétaires

The potential of Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) for the retrieval of surface soil moisture over bare soils was evaluated for several ASAR acquisition configurations: (1) one date/single channel (one incidence and one polarization); (2) one date/two channels (one incidence and two polarizations); (3) two dates/two channels (two incidences and one polarization); and (4) two dates/four channels (two incidences and two polarizations). The retrieval of soil moisture from backscattering measurements is discussed, using empirical inversion approaches. When compared with the results obtained with a single polarization (HH or HV), the use of two polarizations (HH and HV) does not enable a significant improvement in estimating soil moisture. For the best estimates of soil moisture, ASAR data should be acquired at both low and high incidence angles. ASAR proves to be a good remote sensing tool for measuring surface soil moisture, with accuracy for the retrieved soil moisture that can reach 3.5% (RMSE).

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Continental interfaces, environment

Nicolas Baghdadi, Noha Holah, Mehrez Zribi. Soil moisture estimation using multi‐incidence and multi‐polarization ASAR data. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2007, 27 (10), pp.10, 1907-1920. ⟨10.1080/01431160500239032⟩. ⟨hal-00090051⟩