Global Scale Mapping of Subsurface Scattering Signals Impacting ASCAT Soil Moisture Retrievals

Microwave pulses can penetrate several centimeters to decimeters into dry soils. As a result, active microwave sensors are sensitive to discontinuities in the soil profile caused by the presence of stones, rocks or distinct soil layers. Such subsurface scattering effects can disturb the retrieval of soil moisture, vegetation and other land surface properties from active microwave measurements. In this study we mapped subsurface scatterers impacting C-band backscatter measurements acquired by the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on a global scale. Users of ASCAT soil moisture data distributed by the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management are recommended to use the subsurface scattering masks generated within this study.