Abstract. Enhanced-resolution L-band brightness temperature (TB) image time
series generated from observations collected over the Greenland Ice Sheet by
NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite are used to map
Greenland's perennial firn aquifers from space. Exponentially decreasing
L-band TB signatures are correlated with perennial firn aquifer areas
identified via the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS)
Multi-Channel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder (MCoRDS) that was flown by NASA's
Operation IceBridge (OIB) campaign. An empirical algorithm to map extent is
developed by fitting these signatures to a set of sigmoidal curves. During
the spring of 2016, perennial firn aquifer areas are found to extend over
∼66 000 km2.
Use of Satellite Soil Moisture to Diagnose Climate Model Representations of European Soil Moisture‐Air Temperature Coupling Strength