A

A roadmap for high-resolution satellite soil moisture applications – confronting product characteristics with user requirements

Remote Sensing of Environment, vol. 252, pp. 112162

Abstract

Soil moisture observations are of broad scientific interest and practical value for a wide range of applications. The scientific community has made significant progress in estimating soil moisture from satellite-based Earth observation data, particularly in operationalizing coarse-resolution (25-50 km) soil moisture products. This review summarizes existing applications of satellite-derived soil moisture products and identifies gaps between the characteristics of currently available soil moisture products and the application requirements from various disciplines. We discuss the efforts devoted to the generation of high-resolution soil moisture products from satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data such as Sentinel-1 C-band backscatter observations and/or through downscaling of existing coarse-resolution microwave soil moisture products. Open issues and future opportunities of satellite-derived soil moisture are discussed, providing guidance for further development of operational soil moisture products and bridging the gap between the soil moisture user and supplier communities.

Authors 31

  1. Jian Xi Peng corresponding

    Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research · University of Oxford · Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Remote Sensing, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research−UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany

    Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

    School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, OX1 3QY Oxford, UK

  2. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques · Météo-France · Université de Toulouse

    Affiliation as printed

    CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, 31057 Toulouse, France

  3. Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente, Bari, Italy

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente, Bari, Italy

  4. Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, National Research Council, Perugia, Italy

  5. Gamma Remote Sensing (Switzerland)

    Affiliation as printed

    Gamma Remote Sensing Research and Consulting AG (GAMMA), Gümligen, Switzerland

  6. Agricultural Research Service

    Affiliation as printed

    USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA

  7. Agricultural Research Service

    Affiliation as printed

    USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA

  8. Institute of Geodesy and Cartography

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK), Remote Sensing Centre, Warsaw, Poland

  9. University of Oxford · UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK

    School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, OX1 3QY Oxford, UK

  10. European Space Agency · European Space Research and Technology Centre

    Affiliation as printed

    European Space Agency, Mission Science Division, 2200 AG Noordwijk, the Netherlands

  11. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

    Affiliation as printed

    European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Reading RG2 9AX, UK

  12. TU Wien

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Geodesy and Geo-Information, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria

  13. KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium

  14. Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Geesthacht, Germany

  15. ETH Zurich · Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland

  16. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement · Centre d'Études Spatiales de la Biosphère · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

    Affiliation as printed

    CESBIO (UMR 5126 Université Toulouse 3, CNES, CNRS, INRAE, IRD), Toulouse, France

  17. Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente, Bari, Italy

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente, Bari, Italy

  18. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

  19. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Geography, University of Munich (LMU), 80333 Munich, Germany

  20. Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente, Bari, Italy

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente, Bari, Italy

  21. Institute of Geodesy and Cartography

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK) , Remote Sensing Centre , Warsaw , Poland

    Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK), Remote Sensing Centre, Warsaw, Poland;

  22. Climate Service Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) , Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht , Hamburg , Germany

    Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Hamburg, Germany;

  23. Goddard Space Flight Center · National Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Affiliation as printed

    Global Modeling and Assimilation Office , NASA/GSFC , Greenbelt , MD , USA

    Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA;

  24. Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) , Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente , Bari , Italy

    Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) -Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente, Bari, Italy;

  25. Agricultural Development Advisory Service (United Kingdom)

    Affiliation as printed

    ADAS UK Ltd. , Woodthorne, Wergs Road , Wolverhampton WV6 8TQ , UK

    ADAS UK Ltd., Woodthorne, Wergs Road, Wolverhampton WV6 8TQ, UK;

  26. Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Environmental Sciences , Leiden University , 2333 CC Leiden , the Netherlands w Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Management ,

    Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands;

  27. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Ghent University , Coupure links 653 , Ghent 9000 , Belgium

    Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Management, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium;

  28. TU Wien

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Geodesy and Geo-Information , TU Wien , Vienna , Austria

    Department of Geodesy and Geo-Information, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria;

  29. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research · Monash University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Civil Engineering , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria , Australia

    Department of Remote Sensing , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ , Permoserstrasse 15 , 04318 Leipzig , Germany

    Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia;

  30. Gamma Remote Sensing (Switzerland)

    Affiliation as printed

    Gamma Remote Sensing Research and Consulting AG (GAMMA) , Gümligen , Switzerland

    Gamma Remote Sensing Research and Consulting AG (GAMMA), Gümligen, Switzerland;

  31. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München · KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    , CNES , CNRS , INRAE, IRD) , Toulouse , France

    Department of Geography , University of Munich (LMU) , 80333 Munich , Germany

    Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium

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References 268