Field Scale Soil Moisture Estimation with Ground Penetrating Radar and Sentinel 1 Data

ATUN R., GÜRSOY Ö., KOŞAROĞLU S.

Sustainability (Switzerland), cilt.16, sa.24, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 24
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/su162410995
  • Dergi Adı: Sustainability (Switzerland)
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, CAB Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, INSPEC, Metadex, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: empirical model, ground penetrating radar (GPR), Sentinel 1, soil moisture, surface soil moisture (SSM)
  • Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study examines the combined use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) and Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for estimating soil moisture in a 25-decare field in Sivas, Türkiye. Soil moisture, vital for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management, was assessed using in situ measurements, SAR backscatter analysis, and GPR-derived dielectric constants. A novel empirical model adapted from the classical soil moisture index (SSM) was developed for Sentinel-1, while GPR data were processed using the reflected wave method for estimating moisture at 0–10 cm depth. GPR demonstrated a stronger correlation within situ measurements (R2 = 74%) than Sentinel-1 (R2 = 32%), reflecting its ability to detect localized moisture variations. Sentinel-1 provided broader trends, revealing its utility for large-scale analysis. Combining these techniques overcame individual limitations, offering detailed spatial insights and actionable data for precision agriculture and water management. This integrated approach highlights the complementary strengths of GPR and SAR, enabling accurate soil moisture mapping in heterogeneous conditions. The findings emphasize the value of multi-technique methods for addressing challenges in sustainable resource management, improving irrigation strategies, and mitigating climate impacts.