SMAP Cal/Val Workshop #6, Columbia, Maryland

This workshop focused on the calibration and validation (Cal/Val) of SMAP science data products. The workshop provided a forum for scientists from around the world to participate in implementing the SMAP Cal/Val plan, assessing performance, exchanging expert information and resolving key issues.

The SMAP Cal/Val Plan addresses Cal/Val activities undertaken to ensure the generation of high quality products and definitive validation of the products after launch. These activities include instrument calibration and a suite of validation methodologies that include core validations sites, sparse observing networks, intercomparisons with other satellite missions providing similar products, model-based intercomparisons, and field campaigns.

Previous Cal/Val Workshops were preparatory for this Phase of the SMAP Mission. All products were assessed and plans for further evaluation and improvement were discussed. Continued participation in SMAP Cal/Val activities by the broad science community is of importance to the SMAP mission.

Meeting Location

The meeting was held at Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel

Agenda

Detailed Agenda (PDF)

There was several opportunities for short (5 min) presentations during Open Forum sessions. These were related to the particular topic being discussed and were summaries of a poster, cal/val results, or ideas of interest to the group.

Presentations

Day 1

1. Introduction (Tom Jackson)
2. Mission Progress and Status (Simon Yueh)
3. NASA HQ Science Perspectives (Jared Entin)
4. SMAP Science Team Perspectives (Dara Entekhabi)
5. Radar Configuration Process (Adam Freedman)
6. Radar Beta Calibration (Richard West)
7. Radiometer Calibration Overview (Sidharth Misra)
8. Radiometer Geolocation Assessment (Giovanni De Amici)
9. Antenna Temperature Calibration (Jinzheng Peng)
10. Cold Sky Calibration (Emmanuel Dinnat)
11. L1B_TB Calibration & Validation (Jinzheng Peng)
12. L1C Gridded Product & Quality Flags (Steven Chan)
13. Radio-Frequency Interference Assessment (Priscilla Mohammed)
14. L-band Inter-comparison (Rajat Bindlish)
15. Plans for Cal/Val Phase-I Release (Sidharth Misra)
16. Eliminating RFI Sources is Possible: SMOS Example (Roger Oliva)
17. SMAP SDS Processing for Cal/Val (David Cuddy)
18. Data Archival and Resources (Amanda Leon)
19. Level 2-4 Cal/Val Methodologies (Tom Jackson)
20. Validation and Standard Grids (Rajat Bindlish)

Day 2

1. L2 SM P Algorithm Team Report (Steven Chan)
2. A Climatology of Optical Thickness (Tau) May Not be Appropriate in Agricultural Regions (Brian Hornbuckle)
3. Improved Vegetation Parametrization for SMAP’s Passive Retrieval Algorithms (Mehmet Kurum)
4. L2 SM P Discussion (Peggy O'Neill)
5. L2 SM AP Algorithm Team Report (Narendra Das)
6. Two Methods to Downscale Radiometer Soil Moisture (Venkat Lakshmi)
7. Intercomparison of Alternate Soil Moisture Downscaling Algorithms Using Active-Passive Microwave Observations (Jeffrey Walker)
8. L2 SM A Algorithm Team Report (Seungbum Kim)
9. L2 SM A Discussion (Mahta Moghaddam)
10. L3 FT Algorithm Team Report (Chris Derksen)
11. L4 SM Algorithm Team Report (Rolf Reichle)
12. L4 C Algorithm Team Report (John Kimball)

Day 3

1. Field Experiment Planning (Tom Jakcson)
2. SMAPEx-4 Report and SMAPEx-5 Plan (Jeffrey Walker)
3. SMAPVEX15 Ground Observations (Mike Cosh)
4. SMAPVEX15 Airborne Passive Active L-band System (PALS) Observations (Andreas Colliander)
5. Canada 2016 Planning (Jarrett Powers)
6. SMAPVEX16 and Beyond Planning (Tom Jackson)
7. Core Validation Sites Issues (Tom Jackson)
8. Core Validation Site Status (Andreas Colliander)
9. ARS Watershed Sites (Mike Cosh)
10. TxSON (Todd Caldwell)
11. AARC Sites (Anna Pacheco)
12. Argentina (Marc Thibeault)
13. Australia (Jeffrey Walker)
14. Austria (Mariette Vreugdenhil)
15. EURAC site (Felix Greifeneder)
16. Additional Texas Sites (Binyak Mohanty)
17. Good Practices for Soil Moisture Validation (Tom Jackson)
18. Kenaston (Aaron Berg)
19. OzNet (Jeffrey Walker)
20. South Fork (Mike Cosh)
21. Sparse Networks in SMAP L2-L4 Cal/Val (Wade Crow)
22. Model-based products in SMAP L2-L4 Cal/Val (Dara Entekhabi)
23. Satellite-based products in SMAP L2-L4 Cal/Val (Tom Jackson)
24. Comparison between L2_SM_P and other satellite products (Mariko Burgin)
25. SMOS-SMAP Comparisons (Yann Kerr)

Contacts

Dr. Jared Entin
NASA HQ
Washington, DC
jared.entin@nasa.gov

Dr. Tom Jackson
USDA ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab
Beltsville, MD 20705
tom.jackson@ars.usda.gov

Dr. Andreas Colliander
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA 91109
andreas.colliander@jpl.nasa.gov