Validating regional differences in modelled satellite microwave signatures

Abstract

A three-part microwave T(B) brightness temperature model was tested for applicability in regions of differing climatic and vegetation regime. Model parameters were limited to vegetation in the form of the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) and climatically modeled soil moisture. The T(B) model was calibrated for two climatically contrasting areas and subsequently validated on different test sites of similar climatic character. Vegetative characteristics in the form of the mean NDVI was used to partition and lump data from different test sites. Good agreement was realized between estimated T(B) and Nimbus-7 SMMR T(B) at the 6.6 GHz horizontal channel.