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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #261354
Title: Using agricultural in situ soil moisture networks to validate satellite estimates

Author
item Cosh, Michael
item Prueger, John
item Jackson, Thomas

Submitted to: Remote Sensing in Hydrology Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2012
Publication Date: 7/19/2012
Citation: Cosh, M.H., Prueger, J.H., Jackson, T.J. 2012. Using agricultural in situ soil moisture networks to validate satellite estimates. Remote Sensing in Hydrology Symposium. 352:34-37.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The validation of soil moisture remote sensing products is generally based upon in situ networks which are often in non-representative locations. Soil moisture sensors have until recently, been added to existing precipitation networks, which are not installed inside agricultural fields. An initial attempt at a realistic agricultural network has been developed in the Walnut Creek watershed near Ames, Iowa. Small temporary soil moisture stations are installed within the corn and soybean fields which dominate the region. This network design results in a non-continuous, but representative watershed average during active growing seasons. Begun in 2006, nine stations have been recording the surface soil moisture (~5 cm). A stable and reliable network can be achieved with repeated installation procedures which will be useful for monitoring in situ watersheds dominated by agriculture.