Estimation of Vegetation Opacity Using SMAP TB Observations Over a Semi-Arid Agricultural Region

Soil moisture is a crucial parameter in integrated soil sciences, particularly in agriculture. Recognizing its significance, missions such as the NASA SMAP are dedicated to periodically provide global coverage of SM and brightness temperature information. However, the efficacy of satellite measurements hinges on rigorous testing across diverse biomes and conditions.With the objective of creating a SM database that can be used as a reference, in Central Valleys, Oaxaca, monitoring campaigns have been carried out in agricultural areas characterized by their semi-arid climate from 2021 to 2023. The comparison of information is done through a retrieval algorithm known as the τ-ω model that simulates brightness temperature with in-situ information. The study demonstrates how the heterogeneity of the study area and its climate makes the task difficult and causes the need for an adjustment in the in-put parameters.