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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318658
Title: SMAP L2/L3 Soil moisture product validation with core validation sites

Author
item Jackson, Thomas
item COLLIANDER, ANDREAS - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item CHAN, S. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item DAS, N. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item KIM, S. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item DUNBAR, R.S. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item BINDLISH, R. - Science Systems, Inc
item BERG, A. - University Of Guelph
item ROWLANDSON, TRACY - University Of Guelph
item CAYLOR, K. - Princeton University
item Cosh, Michael
item AL JASSAR, H. - Kuwait University
item LOPEZ-BAEZA, E. - University Of Valencia
item MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, J. - University Of Salamanca
item MCNAIRN, H. - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item PACHECO, A. - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item MOGHADDAM, M. - University Of Michigan
item MONTZKKA, C. - Juelich Research Center
item NOTARNICOLA, C. - Collaborator
item PELLARIN, T. - Collaborator
item RAUTIAINEN, K. - Collaborator
item RAMOS, J. - The National Autonomous University Of Mexico
item Seyfried, Mark
item SU, Z. - University Of Twente
item WALKER, J. - Monash University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2015
Publication Date: 1/10/2016
Citation: Jackson, T.J., Colliander, Andreas, Chan, S., Das, N., Kim, S., Dunbar, R.S., Bindlish, R., Berg, A., Rowlandson, Tracy, Caylor, K., Cosh, M.H., al Jassar, H., Lopez-Baeza, E., Martinez-Fernandez, J., McNairn, H., Pacheco, A., Moghaddam, M., Montzkka, C., Notarnicola, C., Pellarin, T., Rautiainen, K., Ramos, J., Seyfried, M.S., Su, Z., Walker, J. 2015. SMAP L2/L3 Soil Moisture Product Validation with Core Validation Sites American Meteorology Society Conference on Hydrology. January 10-14, 2015, New Orleans, LA. 2016 CDROM

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission was launched by NASA in January, 2015 and entered its one year calibration and validation (cal/val) phase in May, 2015. This began with a focus on instrument measurements, brightness temperature and backscatter, and has now evolved to the geophysical products that include three different spatial resolutions of Level 2/3 surface soil moisture (36, 9, and 3 km). The goal is to provide validated products by May, 2016. SMAP utilizes five methodologies in soil moisture cal/val; core validation sites, sparse networks of in situ sensors, inter-comparisons with products from other satellite programs, inter-comparison with model-based products, and field campaigns. Each methodology has a role; however, the core validation sites are of particular value. Core validation sites are designated as those that meet a set of standards that include replication within the domain at a specific product scale. SMAP has collaborated with its Cal/Val Partners over the past five years to enhance and focus existing efforts around the world that collect and provide in situ soil moisture measurements. These sites provide a basis for both the assessment of mission performance as well for algorithm development and improvement. Both activities have been ongoing since April; however, early analysis must proceed cautiously to allow for the refinement of L1 products and for longer periods of record that capture a wide range of soil moisture and vegetation conditions. By the Fall of 2015 and the release of beta versions of the L2/L3 products there will be five months of SMAP observations that will include the North America summer where a large number of core validation sites are located. In this presentation the process and early results of validating the surface soil moisture using in situ observations obtained at core validation sites will be described.