Abstract
Important progress has been made in recent years in characterizing
surface soil moisture (SSM) at regional scales, through remote sensing
estimates and the implementation of new in situ networks. Each of these
sources of information has intrinsic features, such as the dynamic range
of the SSM and the temporal frequency of acquisition. Another relevant
factor is the period of data availability. Improving the knowledge of
the limitations and biases of these features is crucial to increase the
potential and the consistency of data sources validations. As a case of
study we considered an agricultural area in the Argentinean Pampas,
characterized by a sub-humid climate with a marked seasonal dynamic. It
also holds a synchronized cropping rhythm and is subject to flooding and
waterlogging that can last from days to months. The features mentioned
above and considering that the region is almost devoid of irrigation,
offer a natural laboratory that is distinguished by a wide dynamic range
of SSM conditions. In this context, we analyze and expose different
sources of SSM data gaps over long periods of time, using information
from in situ stations and from the SMOS and SMAP satellite systems,
during 2015-2019. We found SMAP data gaps resulting from the filtering
of high SSM signals that are not spurious but typical for this
flood-prone region. Reports from national institutions and comparison
with other data sources allowed us to identify that high soil water
content in the same period in which the data gaps occurred. In a
different way, the SMOS register has a low-frequency range of data due
to radio frequency interference over the study area. This data gap
occurs during a long-anomalously wet period and it is relevant to take
it into account when analyzing SMOS data for the full period. Our study
shows the importance of using multiple sources of information and the
relevance of examining the availability of data.