{"id":268942,"date":"2025-08-19T02:59:47","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T16:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/a-decade-of-global-water-cycle-monitoring-nasa-soil-moisture-active-passive-mission\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T02:59:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T16:59:47","slug":"a-decade-of-global-water-cycle-monitoring-nasa-soil-moisture-active-passive-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=268942","title":{"rendered":"A Decade of Global Water Cycle Monitoring: NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\" hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" 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height=\"81\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?w=1037\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Feature Article header\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png 1037w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=300,23 300w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=768,60 768w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=1024,80 1024w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=400,31 400w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=600,47 600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-feature-article-banner.png?resize=900,70 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"padding-top-5 padding-bottom-3 width-full maxw-full hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-intro\">\n<div class=\"width-full maxw-full article-header\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2 width-full maxw-full\">\n<p class=\"label carbon-60 margin-0 margin-bottom-3 padding-0\">21 min read<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"display-48 margin-bottom-2\">A Decade of Global Water Cycle Monitoring: NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, launched in 2015, has over 10 years of global L-band radiometry observations. The low frequency [1.4 GHz frequency or 21 cm (8 in) wavelength] measurements provide information on the state of land surfaces in all weather conditions \u2013 regardless of solar illumination. A principal objective of the SMAP mission is to provide estimates of surface soil moisture and its frozen or thawed status. Over the land surface, soil moisture links the water, energy, and carbon cycles. These three cycles are the main drivers of regional climate and regulate the functioning of ecosystems.<\/p>\n<p>The achievement of 10 years in orbit is a fitting time to reflect on what SMAP has accomplished. After briefly discussing the innovative measurement approach and the instrument payload (e.g., a radiometer and a regrettably short-lived L-band radar), a significant section of this article is devoted to describing the mission\u2019s major scientific achievements and how the data from SMAP have been used to serve society (e.g., applied sciences) \u2013 including SMAP\u2019s pathfinding role as Early Adopters. This content is followed by a discussion of how SMAP has dealt with issues related to radio frequency interference in the L-Band region, a discussion of the SMAP data products suite, future plans for the SMAP active\u2013passive algorithm, and a possible follow-on L-band global radiometry mission being developed by the European Union\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copernicus.eu\/en\" rel=\"noopener\">Copernicus Programme<\/a> that would allow for data continuity beyond SMAP. This summary for <em>The Earth Observer <\/em>is excerpted from a longer and more comprehensive paper that, as of this article\u2019s posting, is being prepared for publication in the <em>Proceedings of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers <\/em>(IEEE). <\/p>\n<p><strong>SMAP Measurement Approach and Instruments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The SMAP primary and operating instrument is the L-band radiometer, which collects precise surface brightness temperature data. The radiometer includes advanced radio frequency interference (RFI) detection and mitigation hardware and software. The radiometer measures vertical and horizontal polarization observations along with the third and fourth Stokes parameters (T3 and T4) of the microwave radiation upwelling from the Earth. The reflector boom and assembly, which includes a 6 m (20 ft) deployable light mesh reflector, is spun at 14.6 revolutions-per-minute, which creates a 1000 km (621 mi) swath as the SMAP satellite makes its Sun-synchronous orbit of the Earth \u2013 see <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. This approach allows coverage of the entire globe in two to three days with an eight-day exact repeat. The radiometer instrument is calibrated monthly by pointing it to the deep sky.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=1084&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1084\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=1084&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 1\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=1084&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=300&#038;h=226&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=768&#038;h=578&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=771&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=400&#038;h=301&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=600&#038;h=452&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=900&#038;h=678&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-1_2.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=903&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 1.<\/strong> An artist\u2019s rendering of the SMAP Observatory showing both the radiometer and radar.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure credit: <\/strong>NASA\/Jet Propulsion Laboratory\/California Institute of Technology<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The original SMAP instrument design included a companion L-band radar, which operated from April through early July 2015, acquiring observations of co- and cross-polarized radar backscatter at a spatial resolution of about 1 km (0.6 mi) with a temporal revisit of about three days over land. This data collection revealed the dependence of L-band radar signals on soil moisture, vegetation water content, and freeze thaw state. The radar transmitter failed on July 7, 2015. Shortly thereafter, the radar receiver channels were repurposed to record the reflected signals from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthdata.nasa.gov\/data\/space-geodesy-techniques\/gnss\" rel=\"noopener\">Global Navigation Satellite System<\/a> (GNSS) constellation in August 2015, making SMAP the first full-polarimetric GNSS reflectometer in space for the investigation of land surface and cryosphere.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Scientific Achievements from a Decade of SMAP Data<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A decade of SMAP soil moisture observations have led to a plethora of scientific achievements. The data have been used to quantify the linkages of the three main metabolic cycles (e.g., carbon, water, and energy) on land. They have also been used to improve drought assessments and flood prediction as well as the accuracy of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. They are also used to measure liquid water and thickness of ice sheets, and sea surface salinity. The subsections that follow describe how SMAP data are being put to use in myriad ways that benefit society.<\/p>\n<p><em>Quantifying Processes that Link the Terrestrial Water, Energy, and Carbon Cycles<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The primary SMAP science goal is to develop observational benchmarks of how the water, energy, and carbon cycles link together over land. Soil moisture is the variable state of the land branch of the water cycle. It links the water cycle to the energy cycle through limiting <em>latent heat flux <\/em>\u2013 the change in energy as heat exchanges when water undergoes a phase change, such as evapotranspiration at the land\u2013atmosphere interface. Soil moisture also links the water and carbon cycles, which is evident through plant photosynthesis. SMAP global observations of soil moisture fields, in conjunction with remote sensing of elements of the energy and carbon cycles, can reveal how these three cycles are linked in the real world as a benchmark for weather and Earth system models.<\/p>\n<p>Photosynthesis is down-regulated by both the deficit in water availability and the lack of an adequate amount of photosynthetically active radiation. Global maps reveal how soil moisture and light regulate photosynthesis \u2013 see <strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. These benchmark observational results can be used to assess how Earth system models link to the three main metabolic cycles of the climate system.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=1440&#038;h=378&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=1440&#038;h=378&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 2\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=1440&#038;h=378&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=300&#038;h=79&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=768&#038;h=202&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=1024&#038;h=269&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=400&#038;h=105&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=600&#038;h=158&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=900&#038;h=236&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-2.png?w=1200&#038;h=315&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Observed regulation of photosynthesis by water availability [<em>left<\/em>] and light availability [<em>right<\/em>]. Blue denotes greater limitation. Photosynthesis rates for both maps determined using solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) measurements (mW\/m<sup>2<\/sup> nm sr) from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tropomi.eu\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Tropospheric Ozone Monitoring Instrument<\/a> (TROPOMI) on the European Union\u2019s Copernicus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Applications\/Observing_the_Earth\/Copernicus\/Sentinel-5P\" rel=\"noopener\">Sentinel-5P<\/a> mission. Water availability was determined using soil moisture (SM) measurements from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. Light availability was determined using measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) from the<a href=\"https:\/\/modis.gsfc.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\"> Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer<\/a> (MODIS) on NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/terra.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Terra<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/aqua.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Aqua<\/a> platforms. The resulting maps show the model slope (mW\/m<sup>2<\/sup>\/nm\/sr) of the estimated SIF-SM relationship in the water-limited regime [<em>left<\/em>] and the model slope (10<sup>-3<\/sup>\/nm\/sr) of estimated SIF-PAR relationship in the light-limited regime [<em>right<\/em>].<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure credit: <\/strong>Jonard et al (2022) in <a href=\"https:\/\/bg.copernicus.org\/articles\/19\/5575\/2022\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Biogeosciences<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Development of Improved Flood Prediction and Drought Monitoring Capability<\/em><\/p>\n<p>SMAP products have also been widely used in applied sciences and natural hazard decision-support systems. SMAP\u2019s observation-based soil moisture estimates offer transformative information for managing water-related natural hazards, such as monitoring <em>agricultural drought <\/em>\u2013  defined as a persistent deficit in soil moisture \u2013  and <em>flood volumes<\/em> \u2013  defined as the landscape\u2019s water absorption capacity during precipitation events. The SMAP project produces a parallel, near-real-time data stream that is accessed by a number of federal and state agencies in decision-support systems related to drought monitoring, food security, and landscape inundation and trafficability.<\/p>\n<p><em>Enhancing Weather and Climate Forecasting Skill<\/em><\/p>\n<p>SMAP\u2019s enhancement of numerical weather prediction, model skill, and reduction of climate model projection uncertainties is based on the premise of the contribution of solar energy to weather and climate dynamics. Soil moisture has a strong influence on how available solar energy is partitioned into components (e.g., sensible heat flux versus latent heat flux) over land. The influence propagates through the atmospheric boundary layer and ultimately influences the evolution of weather.<\/p>\n<p>To give an example, land surface processes can affect the evolution of the U.S. Great Plains low-level jets (GPLLJs). These jets drive mesoscale convective weather systems. Previous studies have shown that GPLLJs are sensitive to regional soil moisture gradients. Assimilation of SMAP soil moisture data improves forecasts of weakly synoptically forced or uncoupled GPLLJs compared to forecasts of cyclone-induced coupled GPLLJs. For example, the NASA Unified Weather Research and Forecasting Model, with 75 GPLLJs at 9 km (5.6 mi) resolution both with and without SMAP soil moisture data assimilation [SMAP data assimilation (DA) and no-DA respectively], shows how the windspeed mean absolute difference between SMAP DA and no-DA increase approximately linearly over the course of the simulation with maximum differences at 850 hPa (or mb) for the jet entrance and core \u2013 see <strong>Figure 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=1440&#038;h=1814&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1814\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=1440&#038;h=1814&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 3\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=1440&#038;h=1814&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=238&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 238w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=768&#038;h=967&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=813&#038;h=1024&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 813w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=1219&#038;h=1536&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1219w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=318&#038;h=401&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 318w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=476&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 476w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=714&#038;h=899&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 714w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-3.png?w=953&#038;h=1201&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 953w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 3.<\/strong> The impact of adding soil moisture data [SMAP data assimilation (DA) minus no-DA] to a model simulation from the<a href=\"https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/earth\/hydrology\/projects\/513\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA Unified Weather Research and Forecasting Model<\/a>\u00a0(NU-WRF)) of the Great Plains Low Level Jet (GPLLJ). The results show the mean over 75 independent GPLLJ events. The plots correspond to wind speed difference with height (y-axis) and time (hours on x-axis). The panels are for jet entrance [<em>left<\/em>], jet core [<em>middle<\/em>] and jet exit [<em>right<\/em>]. Soil moisture data assimilation enhances the intensity of the simulated GPLLJ. The stippling corresponds to 99% statistical confidence.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure credit<\/strong>: Ferguson (2020) in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.ametsoc.org\/view\/journals\/mwre\/148\/11\/MWR-D-20-0185.1.xml\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Monthly Weather Review<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Measuring Liquid Water Content and Thickness of Ice Sheets<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The mass loss of Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets contributes to sea-level rise \u2013 which is one of the most impactful and immediate damaging consequences of climate change. The melt rates over the last few years have raised alarm across the globe and impact countries with coastal communities. The cryosphere community has raised a call-to-action to use every observing system and model available to monitor the patterns and rates of land ice melt.<\/p>\n<p>Surface melt affects the ice cap mass loss in many ways: the direct melt outflow from the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet, the structural change of the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet, changes in the melt water retention and outflow boundaries, changes in the structure of the Antarctic ice shelves, and destabilization of the buttressing of the glacier outflow through various processes (e.g., hydrofracturing and calving). The long-term climate and mass balance models rely on accurate representation of snow, firn, and ice processes to project the future sea level.<\/p>\n<p>The SMAP L-band radiometer has relatively long wavelength [21 cm (8 in)] observations compared to other Earth-observing instruments. It enables the measurement of liquid water content (LWC) in the ice sheets and shelves as it receives the radiation from the deep layers of the snow\/firn\/ice column. Relatively high LWC values absorb the emission only partially, making the measurement sensitive to different liquid water amounts (LWA) in the entire column. <strong>Figure 4<\/strong> shows the cumulative LWA for 2015\u20132023 based on SMAP measurements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=1440&#038;h=817&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"817\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=1440&#038;h=817&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 4\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=1440&#038;h=817&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=300&#038;h=170&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=768&#038;h=436&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=1024&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=400&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=600&#038;h=340&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=900&#038;h=511&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-4.png?w=1200&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 4.<\/strong>\u00a0Total annual sum of SMAP daily liquid water amount (LWA) for 2015\u20132023. The black solid line on each map represents grid edges, and the grey color mask inside the ice sheet indicates melt detections by decreasing brightness temperature.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure Credit<\/strong>: Andreas Colliander [Finnish Meteorological Institute].<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The SMAP L-band radiometer has also been used to <a href=\"https:\/\/seaice.uni-bremen.de\/thin-ice-thickness\/\" rel=\"noopener\">derive the thickness of thin sea ice<\/a> [< 0.5\u20131 m (<1.6\u20133.3 ft)] across both the Arctic and Southern Ocean. Thin ice thickness retrievals from the European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Applications\/Observing_the_Earth\/FutureEO\/SMOS\" rel=\"noopener\">Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity<\/a> (SMOS) mission have been recalibrated to SMAP, using the same fixed incidence angle. The data show strong agreement and demonstrate clear benefits of a combined dataset. The L-band thin ice thickness retrievals provide a useful complement to higher-resolution profiles of thicker ice obtained from satellite altimeters (e.g. ESA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Enabling_Support\/Operations\/CryoSat-2_operations\" rel=\"noopener\">CryoSat-2<\/a> and NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/icesat-2.gsfc.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Ice, Clouds and land Elevation Satellite\u20132 <\/a>missions).<\/p>\n<p><em>Extending and Expanding the Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity Record<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The joint NASA\/Argentinian Aquarius\/Sat\u00e9lite de Aplicaciones Cient\u00edficas (SAC)-D (Aquarius), which operated from 2011\u20132015, used an L-band radiometer and an L-band scatterometer to make unprecedented monthly maps of global sea surface salinity at 150-km (93-mi) resolution. The SMAP L-band radiometer has not only extended the sea surface salinity record in the post-Aquarius period, it has also increased the spatial resolution and temporal frequency of these measurements because of its larger reflector and wider swath. The increased resolution and revisit allow new and unprecedented perspectives into mixing and freshwater events, coastal plume tracking, and other more local oceanic features.<\/p>\n<p><em>Providing New Perspectives on Global Ecology and Plant Water Stress<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The L-band <em>vegetation optical depth<\/em> (VOD) \u2013 which is related to water content in vegetation \u2013 has been retrieved simultaneously with soil moisture using SMAP\u2019s dual-polarized brightness temperatures and is being used to better understand global ecology. Water in above-ground vegetative tissue attenuates and thus depolarizes surface microwave emission, and VOD quantifies this effect. SMAP can provide global observations of VOD in all weather conditions with a two to three day temporal frequency. Changes in VOD indicate either plant rehydration or growth. Ecologists benefit from this new ecosystem observational data, which augments optical and near-infrared vegetation indices [e.g., leaf area index (LAI)] and has a higher temporal frequency that is not affected by clouds and does not saturate as rapidly for dense vegetation.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of how the data have been used include deciphering the conditions when vegetation uptakes soil water only for rehydration (i.e., VOD increase with no LAI change) compared to plant growth (i.e., increase in both VOD and LAI). The applications of VOD are increasing and the ecology community views this product as a valuable additional perspective on soil\u2013plant water relations.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, this measurement has no ground-based equivalent. Therefore, field experiments with airborne instruments and ground sampling teams are needed to firmly establish the product as a new observational capability for global ecology.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Applied Science Collaboration: SMAP Observations Serving Society<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The SMAP project has worked with the NASA Earth Science Division Applied Sciences Program (now known as Earth Science to Action) and the natural hazards monitoring and forecasting communities for pre- and post-launch implementation of SMAP products in their operations. In some operational applications, for which long-term data continuity is a requirement, the SMAP data are still used for assessment of current conditions, as well as research and development.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Original Early Adopters<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Prior to its launch, the SMAP mission established a program to explore and facilitate applied and operational uses of SMAP mission data products in decision-making activities for societal benefit. To help accomplish these objectives, SMAP was the first NASA mission to create a formal Applications Program and an Early Adopter (EA) program, which eventually became a requirement for all future NASA Earth Science directed satellite missions. SMAP\u2019s EA program increases the awareness of mission products, broadens the user community, increases collaboration with potential users, improves knowledge of SMAP data product capabilities, and expedites the distribution and uses of mission products after launch.<\/p>\n<p><em>SMAP Data in Action<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Several project accomplishments have been achieved primarily through an active continuous engagement with EAs and operational agencies working towards national interests. SMAP soil moisture data have been used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for domestic and international crop yield applications. For example the USDA\u2019s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts a weekly survey of crop progress, crop condition, and soil moisture condition for U.S. cropland. NASS surveys and publishes state-level soil moisture conditions in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nass.usda.gov\/Statistics_by_State\" rel=\"noopener\">NASS Crop Progress Report<\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The traditional field soil moisture survey is a large-scale, labor-intensive data collection effort that relies heavily on responses from farmers, agricultural extension agents and\/or other domain experts for field observations. One weakness of these observations is that they are based on subjective assessments rather than quantitative measures and can lead to spatial inconsistency based on the human responses from the respective counties. Moreover, the NASS Crop Progress Reports do not provide specific geolocation information for the assessed soil moisture conditions \u2013 which are extremely useful <em>metadata <\/em>to provide to data users. NASS implemented the use of SMAP observations in their weekly reports during the growing period (March\u2013November). SMAP maps estimated root-zone soil moisture for the week of November 14\u201320, 2022, over NASS Pacific (California and Nevada) and Delta (Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana) regional domains\u2014see <strong>Figure 5.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=1440&#038;h=380&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=1440&#038;h=380&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 5\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=1440&#038;h=380&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=300&#038;h=79&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=768&#038;h=203&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=1024&#038;h=270&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=400&#038;h=106&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=600&#038;h=158&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=900&#038;h=238&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-5.png?w=1200&#038;h=317&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 5<\/strong>. SMAP-based soil moisture estimates for California, Nevada, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their weekly report covering November 14\u201320, 2022. These data are available for selected states at the NASS website linked in the text.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure Credit<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nass.usda.gov\/Statistics_by_State\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NASS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>SMAP Radio Frequency Interference Detection and Mitigation<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Although SMAP operates within the protected frequency allocation of 1400\u20131427 MHz, the radiometer has been impacted by radio frequency interference over the mission lifetime. Unauthorized in-band transmitters as well as out-of-band emissions from transmitters operating adjacent to the allocated spectrum have been observed in SMAP measurements since its launch. The previously launched SMOS and Aquarius radiometers provide evidence of global RFI at L-band. Consequently, SMAP was designed to incorporate a novel onboard digital detector on the back end to enable detection and filtering of RFI. The radiometer produces science data in time and frequency, enabling the use of multiple RFI detection methods in the ground processing software.<\/p>\n<p>On-orbit data demonstrate that the RFI detection and filtering performs well and improves the quality of SMAP brightness temperature measurements. The algorithms are most effective at filtering RFI that is sparse in time and frequency, with minimal impact on the <em>noise equivalent delta temperature<\/em> (NEDT) \u2013 a measure of the radiometer sensitivity. Some areas of the globe remain problematic as RFI that is very high level and persistent results in high percentages of data loss due to removal of contaminated data. A global map of RFI detection rate for January 2025 shows a large contrast between Eastern and Western Hemispheres and between Northern and Southern Hemispheres \u2013 see <strong>Figure 6<\/strong>. Regions of isolated RFI and severe RFI correspond to populated areas. A detection rate of 100% means all pixels are flagged and removed, resulting in data loss. Analysis of spectral information reveal many sources are likely terrestrial radar systems; however, many wideband, high-level sources and low-level, non-radar sources also persist. Over areas of geopolitical conflict, the time-frequency data show interference covering the entire radiometer receiver bandwidth.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=1440&#038;h=1002&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1002\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=1440&#038;h=1002&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"SMAP figure 6\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=1440&#038;h=1002&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=300&#038;h=209&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=768&#038;h=534&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=1024&#038;h=713&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=400&#038;h=278&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=600&#038;h=418&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=900&#038;h=626&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-summer\/smap\/SMAP_figure-6.png?w=1200&#038;h=835&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Figure 6.<\/strong> Percentage of pixels on a 0.25\u00b0 grid for January 2025 that have been flagged for removal by the Soil Moisture Active Passive radio frequency interference detection algorithms.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Figure Credit<\/strong>: Priscilla N. Mohammed [GSFC]<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The RFI challenge is further addressed through official spectrum management channels and formal reports that include the geolocated coordinates of sources, interference levels, frequency of occurrence during the observed period, and spectral information \u2013 all of which aid field agents as they work to identify potential offenders. Reports are submitted to the NASA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/space-operations\/space-communications-and-navigation-scan-program\/spectrum\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Spectrum<\/a> office and then forwarded to the country of interest through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/general\/satellite-interference-monitoring-and-resolution\" rel=\"noopener\">Satellite Interference Reporting and Resolution System<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SMAP Science Data Products<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The current suite of SMAP science data products is available in the <strong>Table<\/strong>. The principal data products are grouped in four levels designated as L1\u20134. The L1 products are instrument L-band brightness temperature in Kelvin and include all four Stokes parameters (i.e., horizonal and vertical polarization as well as third and fourth Stokes). Both 6:00 AM equatorial crossing (descending) and 6:00 PM equatorial crossing (ascending data) are contained in the products. The user has access to quality flags of the conditions under which measurements are available for each project. The L1B products are time-ordered and include fore and aft measurements. L1C products are on the Equal-Area Scalable Earth V2 (EASE2) grid with polar and global projections. L2 data products are geophysical retrievals (i.e., soil moisture, VOD, and binary freeze\/thaw classification on a fixed Earth grid). The L2 half-orbit products are available to the public within a day of acquisition. L3 products are daily composites and include all half-orbits for that day.<\/p>\n<p>The SMAP project also produces L4 data that are the result of data assimilation. The L4 products take advantage of other environmental observations, such as precipitation, air temperature and humidity, radiative fluxes at the land surface, and ancillary land use and soil texture information, to produce estimates of surface [nominally 0\u20135 cm (0\u20132 in)] and subsurface (e.g., root-zone up to a meter) soil moisture. The data assimilation system is a merger of model and measurements and hence resolves the diurnal cycle of land surface conditions. The data assimilation system also provides estimates of surface fluxes of carbon, energy, and water, such as evaporation, runoff, gross primary productivity (GPP), and respiration. The difference between GPP and respiration is the <em>net ecosystem exchange<\/em>, which is the net source\/sink of the carbon cycle over land.<\/p>\n<p>The SMAP suite of products also include near-real-time (NRT) brightness temperature and soil moisture products for use in operational weather forecast applications. The NRT product targets delivery to users within three hours of measurement acquisition. The NRT uses predicted SMAP antenna pointing (instead of telemetry) and model predicted ancillary data (soil temperature) in order to support operational centers that require more than three hours of data products for updating weather forecast models. To date SMAP has met its required and target (for NRT) latency requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Two other data projects merge synergistically with other (colocated) satellite measurements. The SPL2SMAP_S merges SMAP L-band radio brightness measurements with C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) measurements from the ESA Copernicus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Applications\/Observing_the_Earth\/Copernicus\/Sentinel-1\" rel=\"noopener\">Sentinel-1<\/a> mission. The SAR data have high resolution and allow the generation of 1 and 3 km (0.62 and 1.8 mi) merged surface soil moisture estimates. The high resolution soil moisture information, however, is only available when there is coincident SMAP and Sentinel-1 measurements. The refresh rate of this product is limited and can be as long as 12 days.<\/p>\n<p>The merged SMOS\u2013SMAP passive L-band radiometry data allows the generation of global, near daily surface soil moisture estimates, which are required to resolve fast hydrologic processes, such as gravity drainage and recharge flux. These parameters are only partially resolved with the SMAP, with a two to three day data refresh rate. This product interpolates the multi-angular SMOS data to the SMAP 40\u00ba incident angle and uses all SMAP algorithms, including correction of waterbody impact on SMAP brightness temperature, and ancillary data for geophysical inversions to soil moisture and VOD, ensuring consistency. The combined SMAP\u2013SMOS data product may not be available daily across locations, such as Japan, parts of China, and the Middle East, where RFI affects data collection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Table. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nsidc.org\/data\/smap\/data\" rel=\"noopener\">Soil Moisture Active Passive suite of science products<\/a> are available through the <a href=\"https:\/\/nsidc.org\/home\" rel=\"noopener\">National Snow and Ice Data Center<\/a>, one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthdata.nasa.gov\/centers\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA\u2019s Distributed Active Archive Centers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Product Type<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Product description<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Resolution (Gridding)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Granule Extent<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL1BTB<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Geolocated, calibrated brightness temperature in time order<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL1CTB_E<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Backus-Gilbert interpolated, calibrated brightness temperature in time order<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL1CTB<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Geolocated, calibrated brightness temperature on Equal-Area Scalable Earth V2 (EASE2) grid<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL1CTB_E<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Backus-Gilbert interpolated, calibrated brightness temperature on EASE2 grid<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL2SMP<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Radiometer soil moisture and vegetation optical depth<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL2SMP_E<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Radiometer soil moisture and vegetation optical depth based on SPL1CTB<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL2SMAP_S<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>SMAP radiometer\/Copernicus Sentinel-1 soil moisture<\/td>\n<td>3 km<\/td>\n<td>Sentinel-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL3SMP<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Daily global composite radiometer soil moisture and vegetation optical depth based on SPL1CTB<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Daily\u2013Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL3SMP_E<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Daily global composite radiometer soil moisture and vegetation optical depth based on SPL1CTB_E<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Daily\u2013Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL3FTP<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Daily composite freeze\/thaw state based on SPL1CTB<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Daily\u2013Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL3FTP_E<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Daily composite freeze\/thaw state based on SPL1CTB_E<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Daily\u2013Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL4SMAU<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Surface and Root Zone soil moisture<\/td>\n<td>9 km<\/td>\n<td>3 hours \u2013 Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL4CMDL<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Carbon Net Ecosystem Exchange<\/td>\n<td>9 km<\/td>\n<td>Daily\u2013Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL1BTB_NRT<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Near Real Time Geolocated, calibrated brightness temperature in time order<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPL2SMP_NRT<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Near Real Time Radiometer soil moisture<\/td>\n<td>36 km<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>L2\/L3 SMOS SM<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<td>SMOS soil moisture and VOD based on SMAP algorithms<\/td>\n<td>(9 km)<\/td>\n<td>Half Orbit\/Daily Global<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Future Directions for the SMAP Active\u2013Passive Algorithm<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although the SMAP radar failed not long after launch, the data that were collected have been used to advance the development of the SMAP Active\u2013Passive (AP) algorithm, which will be applied to the combined SMAP radiometer data and radar data from the <a href=\"https:\/\/nisar.jpl.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA\u2013Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Synthetic Aperture Radar<\/a> [NISAR] mission, a recently-launched L-Band Synthetic Aperture mission to produce global soil moisture at a spatial resolution of 1 km (0.62 mi) or better. The high resolution product can advance applications of SMAP data (e.g., agricultural productivity, wildfire, and landslide monitoring).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Data Continuity Beyond SMAP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A forthcoming mission meets some \u2013 but not all \u2013 of the SMAP measurement requirements and desired enhancements. The European Union\u2019s Copernicus Program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Applications\/Observing_the_Earth\/Copernicus\/CIMR\" rel=\"noopener\">Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer<\/a> (CIMR) mission is a proposed multichannel microwave radiometry observatory that includes L-band and four other microwave channels sharing a large mesh reflector. The mesh reflector is similar to the one that is used on SMAP, but larger. The successful SMAP demonstration of rotating large deployable mesh antennas for Earth observations has been useful to the CIMR design.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of RFI detection capability, CIMR will also use an approach that is similar to SMAP. With regard to instrument thermal noise (NEDT) and data latency, CIMR meets or comes close to the next-mission desired characteristics and equals or exceeds SMAP in most of the attributes. The native L-band resolution of CIMR is ~60 km (37 mi); however, the measurements are coincident and higher-resolution measurements in this configuration allow reconstruction of L-band radiometry at higher resolution than CIMR\u2019s L-band. It may be possible to combine the L- and C-bands and achieve a reconstructed ~15 km (9 mi) L-band product based on the coincident and overlapping measurements. A refresh rate of one day is possible with the wide-swath characteristic of CIMR.<\/p>\n<p>CIMR is currently in development; the first version, CIMR-1A, is expected to launch within this decade and the second version, CIMR-1B, in the mid 2030s. Since the Copernicus program supports operational activities (e.g., numerical weather prediction), the program includes plans for follow-on CIMR observatories so that the data record will be maintained without gaps in the future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The SMAP mission was launched in 2015 and has produced over 10 years of science data. Because of its unique instrument and operating characteristics, the global low-frequency microwave radiometry with the SMAP observatory has resulted in surface soil moisture, vegetation optical depth, and freeze\/thaw state estimates that outperform past and current products. The data have been widely used in the Earth system science community and also applied to natural hazards applications.<\/p>\n<p>The Earth system science and application communities are actively using the decade-long, high-quality global L-band radiometry. The intensity and range of SMAP science data usage is evident in the number of peer-reviewed journal publications that contain <em>SMAP<\/em> or <em>Soil Moisture Active Passive<\/em> in their title or abstract and use SMAP data in the study (i.e., search: www.webofscience.com data-base). The authors acknowledge that many publications escape this particular query approach. Currently the bibliography includes over 1700 entries and over 20,000 citations spanning several elements of Earth system science, including hydrologic science and regional and global water cycle, oceanic and atmospheric sciences, cryosphere science, global ecology as well as microwave remote sensing technologies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To Learn More About SMAP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"http:\/\/smap.jpl.nasa.gov\/science\/publications\" rel=\"noopener\">more comprehensive bibliography of studies published based on SMAP data products<\/a>, a set of <a href=\"https:\/\/smap.jpl.nasa.gov\/science\/highlights\" rel=\"noopener\">one-page SMAP science and applications highlights in standardized format<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/nsidc.org\/data\/smap\/documents\" rel=\"noopener\">SMAP project documents including assessment reports<\/a> are all available online via the links provided.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1037\" height=\"24\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?w=1037\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Black Separator Line\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png 1037w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=300,7 300w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=768,18 768w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=1024,24 1024w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=400,9 400w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=600,14 600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=900,21 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of the SMAP Science Team, the SMAP Algorithm Development Team, and the SMAP Project Office engineers and staff. All of these teams contribute to the ongoing SMAP science product generation and uses reported in this article.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1037\" height=\"24\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?w=1037\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Black Separator Line\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png 1037w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=300,7 300w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=768,18 768w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=1024,24 1024w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=400,9 400w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=600,14 600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-blackseparator-line.png?resize=900,21 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><em>Dara Entekhabi<\/em><\/strong><br \/><strong><em>Massachusetts Institute of Technology<\/em><\/strong><br \/><a href=\"mailto:darae@mit.edu\"><strong><em>darae@mit.edu<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Simon Yueh<\/em><\/strong><br \/><strong><em>Jet Propulsion Laboratory\/California Institute of Technology<\/em><\/strong><br \/><a href=\"mailto:simon.h.yueh@jpl.nasa.gov\"><strong><em>simon.h.yueh@jpl.nasa.gov<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Rajat Bindlish<\/em><\/strong><br \/><strong><em>NASA Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/strong><br \/><a href=\"mailto:rajat.bindlish@nasa.gov\"><strong><em>rajat.bindlish@nasa.gov<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Mark Garcia<\/em><\/strong><br \/><strong><em>Jet Propulsion Laboratory\/California Institute of Technology<\/em><\/strong><br \/><a href=\"mailto:mark.d.garcia@jpl.nasa.gov\"><strong><em>mark.d.garcia@jpl.nasa.gov<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Jared Entin<\/em><\/strong><br \/><strong><em>NASA Headquarters<\/em><\/strong><br \/><a href=\"mailto:jared.k.entin@nasa.gov\"><strong><em>jared.k.entin@nasa.gov<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Craig Ferguson<br \/>NASA Headquarters<br \/><a href=\"mailto:craig.r.ferguson@nasa.gov\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">craig.r.ferguson@nasa.gov<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 nasa_template_article_a hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a 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border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Aug 18, 2025<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"article-tags\">\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth Science<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, launched in 2015, has over 10 years of global L-band radiometry observations. The low frequency [1.4 GHz frequency or 21 cm (8 in) wavelength] measurements provide information on the state of land surfaces in all weather conditions \u2013 regardless of solar illumination. A principal objective of [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-268942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=268942"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269004,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268942\/revisions\/269004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=268942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=268942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=268942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}