The estimation of soil moisture and its temporal variation is a critical parameter in many scientific disciplines. Besides established methods based on insitu-measurements, those parameters can be derived from remote platforms. Here, classical passive technologies like optical satellite, airborne or UAV-based sensors can be used, but also polarized Radar (PolSAR) is possible. Research questions in this context are: a) how reliable are PolSAR-based estimates, especially given the quite divers atmospheric and soil characteristics in the region on the Tibetian Plateau, b) how can optical sensing data be used to compliment the PolSAR data, e.g. available from the Sentinel mission, c) how can insitu measurements be used to calibrate or verify moisture content models derived from remote sensing platforms. Applications of such methods can be for instance regarding the wide-area-effect of the Asian water tower, including a view to the past, if the employed data allows, and the change of frozen soils.
Cooperation within TransTiP
Prof. Dr. Markus Gerke, TU Braunschweig
Prof. Dr.
Prof. Dr. Qinghua Ye, ITP-CAS