Come rain or shine
Soil moisture meaurement by satellite
Soil moisture is a major contributory factor to geohazards such as landslides, swelling clays and sinkholes so the reliability of susceptibility assessments is very much improved with the inclusion of this variable. Its measurement in-situ across large areas is impractical but indications of spatial and temporal variations in soil moisture can be gained from satellite SAR data. We developed algorithms to obtain this data as part of this ESA-funded study into swelling clays.
Highlights
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Soil moisture is a major contributory factor to most geohazards.
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Algorithm developed to measure soil moisture with satellite and other data.
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In-situ soil moisture sensors were installed in the ground to calibrate the algorithms.
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Automated, regularly updated soil moisture measurements now available for the calibrated areas.
