Remote Satellite Soil Moisture Mapping for the ERDC Countermine Simulation Test Bed

摘要

The Countermine Simulation Test Bed needs reliable initial conditions on short notice from denied areas. The most important initial conditions are soil moisture and soil temperature. Our research on remote satellite soil moisture mapping for the ERDC Countermine Simulation Test Bed has proved the concept that soil moisture maps with a resolution of 30 m can be produced in Afghanistan from operational Landsat images. Soil and canopy temperature are determined by the incoming global radiation. Our research on remote satellite global radiation mapping for the ERDC Countermine Simulation Test Bed has proved the concept that global radiation maps with a resolution of 2 km can be produced in Afghanistan from operational METEOSAT images. In addition, our research has shown that soil moisture conditions are strongly correlated to the digital values of Landsat Bands 1-4. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that a Landsat soil moisture map with resolution of 30 m can be downscaled to 2.7 using QuickBird Bands 104. Two research needs are identified: 1. Validation of the Landsat soil moisture product on roads and in river beds, deserts, riparian areas and forests; 2. Development of a reliable downscaling procedure for Landsat soil moisture maps (30 m) to Quickbird maps (2.7 m). The research results will be discussed with reference to each objective. Our research results clearly demonstrate the great potential of optical imagery (Landsat, MODIS, GOES, METEOSAT, QUICKBIRD and other platforms) for reliably initializing and constraining model runs with the Countermine Simulation Test Bed.