Use of penetrating GNSS signals for measuring soil moisture

This work introduces a novel approach for soil moisture estimation, based on the measurement of GNSS signals penetrating a soil volume. A model relating soil moisture content (SMC) to the measured soil transmissivity is proposed. The measurement concept is described and a preliminary experimental setup is proposed. The feasibility of the approach is evaluated through simulations of the measured ('apparent') transmissivity as a function of moisture content, surface roughness and receiving antenna depth, among other relevant parameters

Soil moisture monitoring over wetland areas using GNSS signals

International audienceDuring summer 2015, two experimental campaigns in the framework of the Mistrale Project have been carried. In those campaigns a complete GNSS-R sensor was installed on an ultralight aircraft, allowing gathering polarimetric GNSS-R data. The flights were done in France over the Camargue area (flooded areas, marshlands and water salinity changes), and Pech Rouge area (agricultural plots).The estimated reflection coefficients acquired during the flights, have been computed and geo-referenced on ground, showing that the reflection coefficients are sensible to terrain changes. Main results are presented in this work