CNES and ESA CAROLS Airborne Campaigns at the Valencia Anchor Station in the framework of SMOS Validation

Abstract

Wigneron et al.Ponencia presentada en la 38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly celebrada en Brema (Alemania) del 18 al 25 de julio de 2010This communication will present the main results of a series of airborne campaigns conducted at the Valencia Anchor Station (VAS) site for the implementation of the SMOS emission model L-MEB (L-band Microwave Emission model of the Biosphere, Wigneron et al., 2007), in the framework of the validation of SMOS land data and products. CNES CAROLS campaigns: In 2009, the L-band CAROLS (Combined Airborne Radio-instruments for Ocean and Land Studies) radiometer was flown on three occasions over an area of 1500 km2 covering vineyards, shrub land and Mediterranean pine forest. Main results of CAROLS 2009 will be presented in this communication, and the emphasis will be on comparing local to regional scale results given that CAROLS flights were performed at 4000 m above the surface. ESA-CNES CAROLS campaigns: In 2010, the L-band CAROLS radiometer was flown on four occasions over an area of about 20 km x 20 km containing a large number of homogeneous units (`environmental units'), with flight lines performed at approximately 2200 m above sea level and in alternate E-W and W-E directions in order to have multi-angular signatures over the same area, and avoid potential RFI in Western Spain. The preliminary results of this campaign will be presented in this communication, and the emphasis will be the validation of the L-MEB model.Peer Reviewe