Volumetric soil moisture

In addition to the data provided by the two soil moisture measurement networks, the volumetric soil moisture will be measured using the Hydra Probe II connected to a data logging device. To capture the variability of soil moisture over the agricultural area, two soil moisture sampling strategies will be performed.

One consists of measuring representative values for soil moisture at the SMOS scale (~ 35 km) for forward and inverse modeling and for validation purposes.
Steven's Hydra Probe II

The second is a more intensive sampling to provide a sampling regime that would enable to relate the time series (networks) measurements to field averages. The intensive measurements will be also used to a) develop scaling method that would allow radar soil moisture retrievals to be related to SMOS data and to b) examine soil moisture variability within RADARSAT-2 standard mode spatial resolution.

Strategy 1

About 48-60 fields per day will be sampled for soil moisture measurements on June 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 13, 2010. At each field, data collection will be conducted along two transects distant of 400 m. Each transect will support seven measurement points at 100 m intervals. There will be 3 Hydra probe readings at 6 cm depth per measurement point.


Diagram of the sampling strategy 1

Strategy 2

Intensive soil moisture measurements will be conducted on June 7 and 11, 2010, in order to:

  • Relate the time series (soil moisture networks) measurements to field averages.
  • Develop scaling method that would allow radar soil moiture retrievals to be related to SMOS data.
  • Examine the soil moisture variability within RADARSAT-2 standard mode spatial resolution.

The sampling related to the time series data consists of soil moisture measurements along 4 transects distant of 200 m. Each transect will support 13 measurements points at 50 m intervals. There will be 3 Hydra probe readings at 6 cm depth per measurement point.


Diagram of the intensive sampling related to the time series data

The sampling related to the scaling of SMOS soil moisture data from radar soil moisture retrievals consists of soil moisture measurements along 5 transects distant of 50 m. Each transect will support 13 measurement points at 25 m intervals. There will be 3 Hydra probe readings at 6 cm depth per measurement point.


Diagram of the intensive sampling related to the scaling of SMOS soil moisture data from radar soil moisture retrievals

The sampling related to the soil moisture variability within RADARSAT-2 standard mode spatial resolution consists of soil mosture measurements along 6 transects distant of 10 m. Each transect will support 6 measurement points at 5 m intervals. There will be 3 Hydra probe readings at 6 cm depth per measurement point.


Diagram of the intensive sampling related to the soil moisture variability within RADARSAT-2 standard mode spatial resolution

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