Mapping soil moisture using low-frequency radio signals

• Main Author: Feng, Yi
• Other Authors: Astin, Ivan ; Evans, Adrian
• Published: University of Bath 2016
• Subjects: 621.382
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.687379

Sufficient knowledge of near-surface soil moisture and sea surface salinity is essential for environmental studies. In recent years, efforts worldwide have focused on the use of imaging sensors onboard remote sensing satellites to capture such information. This thesis investigates if low-frequency radio signals originating from ground-based stations are suitable for the remote sensing of soil moisture and sea surface salinity. It is found that the time delay variation of 100 kHz Loran-C pulses may be representative of electrical conductivity changes along the propagation path, which have a direct link with soil and sea surface properties. The validation studies using Loran-C signals recorded at Bath and Harwich clearly show that the proposed method is capable of producing an estimation of soil moisture and sea surface salinity. This will form the basis for further validation and studies.