Moisture in the topsoil: From large-scale observations to small-scale process understanding

The boundary that separates the earth from the atmosphere is a crucial zone of study for meteorology and hydrology. Here, solar energy is partitioned into sensible heat which drives atmospheric circulation, latent heat needed for evaporation from the soil and transpiration of vegetation, and soil heat which warms the subsurface. Precipitation is...

Regional vegetation water effects on satellite soil moisture estimations for West Africa

Soil moisture information is a vital parameter for water resources planning and food production. In particular for West Africa, where income largely depends on rainfed agriculture, reliable information on available soil water is required for modeling and prediction. Over large areas and, specifically, for data scarce regions, satellite soil...