Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data
Abstract
The Institute for Technology Development (ITD) has developed an airborne hyperspectral sensor system that collects electromagnetic reflectance data from the terrain. The system consists of sensors for three different sections of the electromagnetic spectrum: the Ultraviolet (UV), Visible/Near Infrared (VNIR), and Short-Wavelength Infrared (SWIR). Based upon previous research showing the value of measuring the long wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum when attempting to detect soil moisture, a study was conducted to further refine applications of hyperspectral data for estimating soil moisture. The SWIR sensor was used to gather data over an area in which soil moisture probes were located. We evaluated in situ soil moisture values and compared them to transformation results to correlate the transformations with field-collected values of soil moisture at specific sampling stations. An airborne hyperspectral instrument with a SWIR sensor was flown twice over the Little River Experimental Watershed in Georgia (2005 and 2007) and the results were correlated to in situ measurements of soil moisture. A significant statistical correlation (R (exp 2) value above 0.7 for both sampling dates) for the hyperspectral instrument data and the soil moisture probe data at 5.08 cm (2 inches) was determined. While models for the 20.32 cm (8 inches) and 30.48 cm (12 inches) depths were tested, they were not able to estimate soil moisture to the same degree.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA555920
Entities
People
- Craig Kvien
- Dana G. Sullivan
- David D. Bosch
- Gopala K. Allam
- Kristina Yamamoto
- Mario Giraldo
- Mark D. Lewis
- Michael P. Finn
- Ronaldo Luna
- Russell Kincaid
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory