Inter-comparison of SMOS and aquarius brightness temperatures at L-band over selected targets

Abstract

The spectral window at L-band (1.400 - 1.427 GHz) is reserved for passive microwave remote sensing. This band is well-suited to retrieve soil moisture and ocean salinity due to emissivity of soil and seawater decreases with moisture and salinity, respectively, affecting microwave radiation of the Earth's surface. Nowadays, there are two space missions devoted to Earth observation with L-band radiometers on-board: the SMOS mission from the ESA and the Aquarius/SAC-D mission from the NASA and CONAE. Both missions are providing the first TB measurements of the Earth's surface at 1.413 GHz. Thus, it is a great opportunity to compare SMOS and Aquarius TBs and verify the continuity and consistency of the data. This inter-comparison is a key requirement needed to use data of both radiometers for meteorological, hydrological and climatological studies on a long term.