The Thexmex-18 Dataset: Understanding the Soil and Vegetation Dynamics of Agricultural Fields in Central Mexico from L-Band SMAP Observations

Alejandro Monsivais-Huertero, Juan Carlos Hernandez-Sanchez, Ivan Edmundo De La Rosa-Montero, Eduardo Arizmendi-Vasconcelos, Jose Carlos Jimenez-Escalona, Daniel Enrique Constantino-Recillas, Roberto Ivan Villalobos-Martinez, Jaime Hugo Puebla-Lomas, Enrique Zempoaltecatl-Ramirez, Ramon Sidonio Aparicio-Garcia, Carlos Rodolfo Sanchez-Villanueva, Victor Manuel Sauce-Rangel, Jasmeet Judge

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

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite was launched in January 2015. In order to validate the soil moisture retrieval algorithms that fully exploit the unique capabilities of SMAP, the algorithms need to be tested over different conditions worldwide. In response to this need, the Terrestrial Hydrology Experiment 2018 in Mexico (THExMEX-18) was conducted in a rainfed agricultural region of Huamantla, Tlaxcala, Mexico over a six-month growing season. During the experiment, soil moisture, crop measurements, and biomass samples were collected. The objective of THExMEX-18 was to create a soil moisture network over an agricultural area in Mexico, understand the spatial distribution of soil moisture, and compare the SMAP soil moisture retrievals with in-situ measurements. This work details the field data collection as well as data calibration and analysis. A first comparison between in-situ data and SMAP retrievals of soil moisture is presented. It is demonstrated that absolute soil moisture values can be retrieved by satellite observations. SMAP soil moisture estimates closely follow dry down and wetting events observed during the field experiment.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019 - Proceedings
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages6190-6193
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781538691540
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2019
Event39th IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019 - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: 28 Jul 20192 Aug 2019

Publication series

NameInternational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)

Conference

Conference39th IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2019
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period28/07/192/08/19

Keywords

  • Central Mexico
  • NASA SMAP
  • Soil moisture
  • agricultural fields

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