Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.2136/vzj2017.01.0012
Title (Primary) Estimating soil moisture patterns with remote sensing and terrain data at the small catchment scale
Author Schröter, I.; Paasche, H.; Doktor, D.; Xu, X.; Dietrich, P. ORCID logo ; Wollschläger, U.
Source Titel Vadose Zone Journal
Year 2017
Department CLE; MET; BOPHY
Volume 16
Issue 10
Language englisch
Supplements https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/vzj/supplements/16/vzj2017.01.0012-supplement1.pdf
UFZ wide themes RU5
Abstract Detailed information on the temporal and spatial evolution of soil moisture patterns is of fundamental importance to improve runoff prediction, optimize irrigation management and to enhance crop forecasting. However, obtaining representative soil moisture measurements at the catchment scale is challenging because of the dynamic spatial and temporal behavior of soil moisture. High-resolution remote sensing data provide detailed spatial information about catchment characteristics (e.g., terrain and land use) that can be used as proxies to estimate soil moisture. We assessed the potential use of combined multitemporal multispectral remote sensing (RS) and terrain data for estimating spatial soil moisture patterns at the small catchment scale. The fuzzy c-means sampling and estimation approach (FCM SEA) was applied to conduct a sensor (proxy) directed (guided) sampling and to reconstruct multitemporal soil moisture patterns based on time domain reflectometry measurements. A comprehensive soil moisture database for the Schäfertal catchment, located in central Germany, was used to test, validate, and compare the FCM SEA performances of the combined remote sensing data with those of a benchmark approach driven solely by terrain data. Results from the study show that a FCM SEA model that integrates bi-temporal RS imagery and terrain data was more effective in estimating spatial soil moisture patterns relative to the benchmark model. It outperformed the benchmark model in 58% of the cases and was stable to explain about 50% of the total observed variance for a range of different catchment moisture conditions. This was achieved with only a small sample size (n = 30). The results of this study are promising because they highlight the importance of considering multitemporal RS and terrain data and demonstrate how in situ sensors can be optimally placed to enable cost-efficient monitoring and prediction of spatial soil moisture patterns at the small catchment scale.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19499
Schröter, I., Paasche, H., Doktor, D., Xu, X., Dietrich, P., Wollschläger, U. (2017):
Estimating soil moisture patterns with remote sensing and terrain data at the small catchment scale
Vadose Zone J. 16 (10) 10.2136/vzj2017.01.0012