AirMOSS P-band Radar Backscatter Data for Alaska Permafrost Study

Northern Alaska is the focus of this Level 1 polarimetric radar backscattering coefficient dataset from the AirMOSS P-band SAR instrument. The data, collected by NASA over 10 study sites during six flight campaigns from 2014 to 2015, is designed for deriving soil water content and permafrost state estimates. The dataset's cross-platform presence on data.gov and NASA EarthData indicates its established role in cryosphere and subsurface research.

Use Cases

• Estimating soil water content using polarimetric radar backscattering coefficients (sigma-0).
• Assessing permafrost state and thaw dynamics from P-band SAR subsurface penetration.
• Georeferencing flight path and measurement data for spatial analysis of study sites.
• Analyzing multi-look complex radar data for polarimetric calibration and validation studies.

Strengths

• Data is polarimetrically calibrated and georeferenced, providing a foundation for quantitative analysis.
• Covers 10 specific study sites in Northern Alaska across six distinct flight campaigns from 2014 to 2015.
• Collected using the specialized AirMOSS P-band radar instrument, which penetrates vegetation and subsurface layers.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last update date, with data.gov showing 2026 and NASA EarthData showing 2007.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified', requiring further investigation for reuse.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Airborne data collection using the Airborne Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (AirMOSS) P-band radar instrument.

Time Range

2014-2015

Freshness

2026-03-12 22:35:34.006740

Geography

10 study sites across Northern Alaska, USA; also references Arctic and Antarctic regions from a related MCoRDS dataset.