Evaluating new SMAP soil moisture for drought monitoring in the rangelands of the US High Plains
December 1, 2016
- Level 3 soil moisture datasets from the recently launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite are evaluated for drought monitoring in rangelands.
- Validation of SMAP soil moisture (SSM) with in situ and modeled estimates showed high level of agreement.
- SSM showed the highest correlation with surface soil moisture (0-5 cm) and a strong correlation to depths up to 20 cm.
- SSM showed a reliable and expected response of capturing seasonal dynamics in relation to precipitation, land surface temperature, and evapotranspiration.
- Further evaluation using multi-year SMAP datasets is necessary to quantify the full benefits and limitations for drought monitoring in rangelands.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Title | Evaluating new SMAP soil moisture for drought monitoring in the rangelands of the US High Plains |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.rala.2016.06.002 |
| Authors | Naga Velpuri, Gabriel Senay, Jeffrey Morisette |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Rangelands |
| Index ID | 70182493 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center |