Non-intrusive in-situ permittivity measurements dedicated to the development of a P and L band dielectric model of wood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Demontoux ◽  
M. Gati ◽  
M. el Boudali ◽  
L. Villard ◽  
JP Wigneron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Model ◽  
L Band ◽  
Permittivity Measurements

scholarly journals Dielectric characterization of vegetation at L band using an open-ended coaxial probe

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Mavrovic ◽  
Alexandre Roy ◽  
Alain Royer ◽  
Bilal Filali ◽  
François Boone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Microwave Remote Sensing ◽  
Dielectric Characterization ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Remote Sensing Applications ◽  
L Band ◽  
Permittivity Measurements ◽  
Coaxial Probe

Abstract. Decoupling the integrated microwave signal originating from soil and vegetation remains a challenge for all microwave remote sensing applications. To improve satellite and airborne microwave data products in forest environments, a precise and reliable estimation of the relative permittivity (ε=ε′-iε′′) of trees is required. We developed an open-ended coaxial probe suitable for in situ permittivity measurements of tree trunks at L-band frequencies (1–2 GHz). The probe is characterized by uncertainty ratios under 3.3 % for a broad range of relative permittivities (unitless), [2–40] for ε′ and [0.1–20] for ε′′. We quantified the complex number describing the permittivity of seven different tree species in both frozen and thawed states: black spruce, larch, red spruce, balsam fir, red pine, aspen and black cherry. Permittivity variability is substantial and can range up to 300 % for certain species. Our results show that the permittivity of wood is linked to the freeze–thaw state of vegetation and that even short winter thaw events can lead to an increase in vegetation permittivity. The open-ended coaxial probe proved to be precise enough to capture the diurnal cycle of water storage inside the trunk for the length of the growing season.

scholarly journals Dielectric characterization of vegetation at L-band using an open-ended coaxial probe

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Mavrovic ◽  
Alexandre Roy ◽  
Alain Royer ◽  
Filali Bilal ◽  
François Boone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Microwave Remote Sensing ◽  
Dielectric Characterization ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Remote Sensing Applications ◽  
L Band ◽  
Permittivity Measurements ◽  
Coaxial Probe

Abstract. Decoupling the integrated microwave signal originating from soil and vegetation remains a challenge for all microwave remote sensing applications. To improve satellite and airborne microwave data products in forest environments, a precise and reliable estimation of the relative permittivity (𝜺 = 𝜺’ – i 𝜺’’) of the trees is required. We developed an open-ended coaxial probe suitable for in situ permittivity measurements of tree trunks at L-band wavelengths (1–2 GHz). The probe is characterized by uncertainties under 3.3 % for a broad range of permittivities, [2–40] for 𝜺’ and [0.1–20] for 𝜺’’. We quantified the complex number describing the permittivity of seven different tree species in both frozen and thawed states: black spruce, larch, red spruce, balsam fir, red pine, aspen and black cherry. Variability in permittivity is substantial, and can range up to 300 % for some species. Our results show that the permittivity of wood is linked to the freeze/thaw state of the vegetation and that even short winter thaw events lead to an increase in vegetation permittivity. The open-ended coaxial probe proved to be precise enough to capture the diurnal cycle of water storage inside the trunk over the growing season.

scholarly journals Soil dielectric characterization at L-band microwave frequencies during freeze-thaw transitions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Mavrovic ◽  
Renato Pardo Lara ◽  
Aaron Berg ◽  
François Demontoux ◽  
Alain Royer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Model ◽  
Freezing And Thawing ◽  
Microwave Frequencies ◽  
Dielectric Characterization ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
L Band ◽  
Satellite Microwave ◽  
Permittivity Measurements ◽  
Microwave Permittivity

Abstract. Soil microwave permittivity is a crucial parameter in passive microwave retrieval algorithms but remains a challenging variable to measure. To validate and improve satellite microwave data products, precise and reliable estimations of the relative permittivity (ɛr = ɛ / ɛ0 = ɛ’ - jɛ’’; unitless) of soils are required, particularly for frozen soils. In this study, permittivity measurements were acquired using two different instruments: the newly designed open-ended coaxial probe (OECP) and the conventional Stevens HydraProbe. Both instruments were used to characterize the permittivity of soil samples undergoing several freeze/thaw cycles in a laboratory environment. The measurements were compared to soil permittivity models. We show that the OECP is a suitable device for measuring frozen (ɛ’frozen = [3.5;6.0], ɛ’’frozen = [0.4;1.2]) and thawed (ɛ’thawed = [6.5;22.8], ɛ’’thawed = [1.4;5.7]) soil microwave permittivity. We also demonstrate that cheaper and widespread soil permittivity probes operating at lower frequencies (i.e. Stevens HydraProbe) can be used to estimate microwave permittivity given proper calibration relative to an L-band (1–2 GHz) probe. This study also highlighted the need to improve dielectric soil models, particularly during freeze/thaw transitions. There are still important discrepancies between in situ and modelled estimates and no current model accounts for the hysteresis effect shown between freezing and thawing processes which could have a significant impact on freeze/thaw detection from satellites.

scholarly journals Soil dielectric characterization during freeze–thaw transitions using L-band coaxial and soil moisture probes

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 1117-1131
Author(s):  
Alex Mavrovic ◽  
Renato Pardo Lara ◽  
Aaron Berg ◽  
François Demontoux ◽  
Alain Royer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Model ◽  
Freezing And Thawing ◽  
Dielectric Characterization ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Thawing Processes ◽  
L Band ◽  
Satellite Microwave ◽  
Permittivity Measurements ◽  
Microwave Permittivity

Abstract. Soil microwave permittivity is a crucial parameter in passive microwave retrieval algorithms but remains a challenging variable to measure. To validate and improve satellite microwave data products, precise and reliable estimations of the relative permittivity (εr=ε/ε0=ε′-jε′′; unitless) of soils are required, particularly for frozen soils. In this study, permittivity measurements were acquired using two different instruments: the newly designed open-ended coaxial probe (OECP) and the conventional Stevens HydraProbe. Both instruments were used to characterize the permittivity of soil samples undergoing several freeze–thaw cycles in a laboratory environment. The measurements were compared to soil permittivity models. The OECP measured frozen (εfrozen′=[3.5; 6.0], εfrozen′′=[0.46; 1.2]) and thawed (εthawed′=[6.5; 22.8], εthawed′′=[1.43; 5.7]) soil microwave permittivity. We also demonstrate that cheaper and widespread soil permittivity probes operating at lower frequencies (i.e., Stevens HydraProbe) can be used to estimate microwave permittivity given proper calibration relative to an L-band (1–2 GHz) probe. This study also highlighted the need to improve dielectric soil models, particularly during freeze–thaw transitions. There are still important discrepancies between in situ and modeled estimates and no current model accounts for the hysteresis effect shown between freezing and thawing processes, which could have a significant impact on freeze–thaw detection from satellites.

scholarly journals Assessment with Controlled In-Situ Data of the Dependence of L-Band Radiometry on Sea-Ice Thickness

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 650
Author(s):  
Pablo Sánchez-Gámez ◽  
Carolina Gabarro ◽  
Antonio Turiel ◽  
Marcos Portabella
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Brightness Temperature ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Sea Ice Thickness ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
L Band

The European Space Agency (ESA) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) missions are providing brightness temperature measurements at 1.4 GHz (L-band) for about 10 and 4 years respectively. One of the new areas of geophysical exploitation of L-band radiometry is on thin (i.e., less than 1 m) Sea Ice Thickness (SIT), for which theoretical and empirical retrieval methods have been proposed. However, a comprehensive validation of SIT products has been hindered by the lack of suitable ground truth. The in-situ SIT datasets most commonly used for validation are affected by one important limitation: They are available mainly during late winter and spring months, when sea ice is fully developed and the thickness probability density function is wider than for autumn ice and less representative at the satellite spatial resolution. Using Upward Looking Sonar (ULS) data from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), acquired all year round, permits overcoming the mentioned limitation, thus improving the characterization of the L-band brightness temperature response to changes in thin SIT. State-of-the-art satellite SIT products and the Cumulative Freezing Degree Days (CFDD) model are verified against the ULS ground truth. The results show that the L-band SIT can be meaningfully retrieved up to 0.6 m, although the signal starts to saturate at 0.3 m. In contrast, despite the simplicity of the CFDD model, its predicted SIT values correlate very well with the ULS in-situ data during the sea ice growth season. The comparison between the CFDD SIT and the current L-band SIT products shows that both the sea ice concentration and the season are fundamental factors influencing the quality of the thickness retrieval from L-band satellites.

scholarly journals Correcting sea surface temperature spurious effects in salinity retrieved from spaceborne L-band Radiometer measurements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Boutin ◽  
Jean-Luc Vergely ◽  
Emmanuel Dinnat ◽  
Philippe Waldteufel ◽  
Francesco D'Amico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Constant ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Dielectric Constants ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
L Band ◽  
Band Radiometer

<p>We derived a new parametrisation for the dielectric constant of the ocean (Boutin et al. 2020). Earlier studies have pointed out systematic differences between Sea Surface Salinity retrieved from L-band radiometric measurements and measured in situ, that depend on Sea Surface Temperature (SST). We investigate how to cope with these differences given existing physically based radiative transfer models. In order to study differences coming from seawater dielectric constant parametrization, we consider the model of Somaraju and Trumpf (2006) (ST) which is built on sound physical bases and close to a single relaxation term Debye equation. While ST model uses fewer empirically adjusted parameters than other dielectric constant models currently used in salinity retrievals, ST dielectric constants are found close to those obtained using the Meissner and Wentz (2012) (MW) model. The ST parametrization is then slightly modified in order to achieve a better fit with seawater dielectric constant inferred from SMOS data. Upgraded dielectric constant model is intermediate between KS and MW models. Systematic differences between SMOS and in situ salinity are reduced to less than +/-0.2 above 0°C and within +/-0.05 between 7 and 28°C. Aquarius salinity becomes closer to in situ salinity, and within +/-0.1. The order of magnitude of remaining differences is very similar to the one achieved with the Aquarius version 5 empirical adjustment of wind model SST dependency. The upgraded parametrization is recommended for use in processing the SMOS data. </p><p>The rationale for this new parametrisation, results obtained with this new parametrisation in recent SMOS reprocessings and comparisons with other parametrisations will be discussed.</p><p>Reference:</p><p>Boutin, J.,et al. (2020), Correcting Sea Surface Temperature Spurious Effects in Salinity Retrieved From Spaceborne L-Band Radiometer Measurements, IEEE TGRSS, doi:10.1109/tgrs.2020.3030488.</p>

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