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