H13K-1728
Validation of the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission using USDA-ARS experimental watersheds
Monday, 14 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Michael H Cosh1, Thomas J Jackson2, Rajat Bindlish3, Andreas Colliander4, Seungbum Kim4, Narendra N Das4, Simon H Yueh4, David D Bosch5, David C Goodrich6, John H Prueger7, Patrick j Starks8, Stanley Livingston9, Mark S Seyfried10 and Evan J Coopersmith11, (1)U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, United States, (2)USDA ARS, Pendleton, OR, United States, (3)Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD, United States, (4)NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States, (5)USDA ARS, Tifton, GA, United States, (6)Agricultural Research Service Tucson, Tucson, AZ, United States, (7)USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD, United States, (8)USDA-ARS, El Reno, OK, United States, (9)USDA, ARS, National Soil Erorion Research Lab, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (10)US Dept Agr ARS, Boise, ID, United States, (11)USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States
Abstract:
The calibration and validation program of the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission (SMAP) relies upon an international cooperative of in situ networks to provide ground truth references across a variety of landscapes. The USDA Agricultural Research Service operates several experimental watersheds which contribute to the validation of SMAP soil moisture products. These watersheds consist of a network of in situ sensors that measure soil moisture at a variety of depths including the 5 cm depth, which is critical for satellite validation. Comparisons of the in situ network estimates to the satellite products are ongoing, but initial results have shown strong correlation between satellite estimates and in situ soil moisture measurements once scaling functions were applied. The scaling methodologies for the in situ networks are being reviewed and evaluated. Results from the Little Washita, Fort Cobb, St. Joseph’s and Little River Experimental Watersheds show good agreement between the satellite products and in situ measurements. Walnut Gulch results show high accuracy, although with the caveat that these domains are semi-arid with a substantially lower dynamic range. The South Fork Watershed is examined more closely for its detailed scaling function development as well as an apparent bias between satellite and in situ values.
