Verification of the SMAP Level-4 Soil Moisture Analysis Using Rainfall Observations in Australia

R. Reichle, Q. Liu, G. De Lannoy, W. Crow, L. Jones, J. Kimball, R. Koster

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Global, 3-hourly, 9-km resolution soil moisture estimates are available with a mean latency of ~2.5 days from the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission Level-4 Soil Moisture (L4 SM) product. These estimates are based on the assimilation of SMAP radiometer brightness temperature (Tb) observations into the NASA Catchment land surface model using a spatially distributed ensemble Kalman filter. Routine monitoring of the L4 SM system's assimilation diagnostics revealed occasionally large observation-minus-forecast Tb differences across eastern central Australia that resulted in large analysis increments (or adjustments) of the model forecast soil moisture. Because this region lacks in situ soil moisture measurements, we developed an alternative approach to assess the veracity of the soil moisture analysis increments in the L4 SM system. Using regional gauge-based precipitation data, we demonstrate that the L4 SM soil moisture increments are correlated with errors in the L4 SM precipitation forcing, suggesting that the SMAP Tb observations contribute valuable information to the L4 SM soil moisture estimates.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019 - Proceedings
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages5363-5365
Number of pages3
ISBN (Electronic)9781538691540
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2019
Event39th IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019 - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: Jul 28 2019Aug 2 2019

Publication series

NameInternational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)

Conference

Conference39th IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period07/28/1908/2/19

Keywords

  • Australia
  • SMAP
  • Soil moisture
  • data assimilation

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