How can one determine the residual and field capacity soil moisture? Is there any simple satellite based approach?

12 December 2015 4 8K Report

Hi all,

suppose that even basic soil properties (soil texture map) is not available in a region, how can one determine the residual and field capacity soil moisture? Is there any simple satellite based approach?

I first think of FAO soil map but it seems that it is too coarse for sub basin scale (less than 50000 km2), am I right?

I also have a lithology map of the region can I create a rough soil texture map based on the lithology map and derive θr and θs? Or this parameter is very important and need to determined accurately?

Shuguang Liu

It is possible to estimate soil moisture content using remote sensing techniques when the soils are not covered by vegetation. But it is would be very challenging to estimate soil properties such as field capacity. In your case, it might be useful to start with the FAO dataset, and then investigate the sensitivity of your target variables to these soil properties. You can answer your last question by sensitivity analysis in your basin. Good luck.

Vitaly Victorovich Terleev

I suggested the method of estimating the field capacity (FC) using an empirical relationship of Voronin. The idea is that this empirical relationship intersects the SWRC (soil water retention capacity) curve at the point at which the differential soil moisture capacity reaches a maximum value. This point corresponds to the soil-hydrological constant FC. This method is published in my article in the journal Int. Agrophysics (2010). For estimating the residual soil water content it can be recommended the method of interpolating the experimental data with usage the SWRS suggested by Haverkamp et al. (1977).

Saikat Paul

The following research papers might help you -

doi:10.1016/j.jag.2015.10.006 An inter-comparison of soil moisture data products from satellite remote sensing and a land surface model

doi:10.1016/j.rse.2015.04.007 A linear physically-based model for remote sensing of soil moisture using short wave infrared bands

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.068 Remote sensing for mapping soil moisture and drainage potential in semi-arid regions: Applications to the Campidano plain of Sardinia, Italy

doi:10.1016/j.pce.2015.02.009 Surface soil moisture retrievals from remote sensing: Current status, products & future trends

Also refer to the following websites -

http://www.un-spider.org/links-and-resources/data-sources/dsotm-soilmoisture

http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/

http://drought.unl.edu/MonitoringTools/NASAGRACEDataAssimilation.aspx

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/SMOS/Five_years_of_soil_moisture_ocean_salinity_and_beyond

Hope this helps ..

Manfred Buchroithner

Jusat look at the PhD Theses of Samy Elabaialy and Ali Mahmoud! -> Qucosa -SLUB! mfb

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