Unlock the potential
Making these measurements more useful for our society
Soil and Vegetation
Passive microwave observations are highly sensitive to soil moisture and vegetation, providing valuable information about the condition of the land. With our retrieval models we are able to derive accurate estimates of key soil and vegetation parameters from these observations. By using different observation platforms, from ground-based instruments to satellites, we can capture this information at multiple scales. This enables continuous, non-invasive monitoring of soil and vegetation without disturbing the environment.
Weather
Passive microwave observations play a crucial role in modern weather forecasting, contributing significantly to the improvement of global numerical weather prediction. Satellite microwave observations account for an estimated 30–40% of the overall forecast skill improvement derived from satellite observations.
Our microwave instruments offer an additional advantage: they can simultaneously observe both the land surface and the atmosphere. This unique capability provides valuable insights into the interactions between the land and atmosphere, including processes such as evaporation and surface water exchange.
By capturing these interactions, our technology can help improve our understanding and modelling of the processes that drive weather and climate.
Infrastructure
Our advanced ground-based radiometers enable precise assessment of subsurface conditions across various environments. They can be deployed in agricultural settings or integrated into infrastructure such as roadways. This technology allows for rapid, non-invasive evaluation of road integrity and surface conditions. The data collected supports infrastructure planning, maintenance scheduling, and quality assurance by providing objective, real-time insights into the state of roads and their evolution over time.
Additionally, this information facilitates early detection of issues like subsurface moisture variation or material degradation, enabling proactive interventions that extend infrastructure lifespan and improve safety standards.
Research
See how this technology is used in scientific research by our team
Measurements at different scales
Microwave sensors can reveal information about the land that ordinary cameras cannot. In
this study, we explored how Ka-band microwave observations (36–37 GHz) can be used to monitor vegetation, soil, and surface temperature at different scales. Our results show that Ka-band observations have strong potential for monitoring vegetation and soil conditions from space. They can provide valuable information about the land that complements what we see with conventional satellite imagery. We also found that the information captured by these sensors varies with the scale of observation, with finer-scale measurements revealing more local differences in vegetation and soil conditions. The scientific article can be found here.
A new angle on soil moisture
Estimating soil moisture from space presents certain challenges. Factors such as soil composition, vegetation cover, and atmospheric conditions all impact microwave signals, complicating their interpretation. This research investigates whether analyzing the land from multiple viewing angles can yield more accurate soil moisture data. By utilizing airborne microwave measurements collected across the United States, we identified the added value of multi-angle observations to enhance soil moisture assessments. The related scientific publication is available here.
