SMEX03 Airborne Microwave Radiometer Soil Moisture Data

2003 data from the Soil Moisture Experiment 2003 (SMEX03) campaign. The dataset contains airborne microwave radiometer measurements collected by NOAA's Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer (PSR) over regional areas in Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma, including the Little Washita Watershed. It was produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Technology Laboratory.

Use Cases

• Calibrating and validating satellite-based soil moisture retrieval algorithms using airborne brightness temperature measurements.
• Studying the relationship between land surface conditions (e.g., soil moisture, vegetation) and microwave emission across different frequencies.
• Analyzing spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture during the SMEX03 field campaign in the southeastern and south-central United States.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled, scientifically focused field experiment (SMEX03) designed for soil moisture studies.
• Measurements cover multiple distinct geographical regions (Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma) within a single campaign.
• Instrument is a specialized polarimetric scanning radiometer operated by NOAA, indicating calibrated scientific data collection.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source, limiting detailed assessment.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2003-07-17 and others listing a future date of 2026-03 12, indicating potential metadata errors.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without clear terms.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Technology Laboratory.

Collection Method

Airborne measurements collected by the Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer (PSR) during the Soil Moisture Experiment 2003 (SMEX03).

Time Range

2003

Freshness

2003-07-17 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Regional areas of Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma, USA, including the Little Washita Watershed in Oklahoma.