The amount (soil moisture) and state (freeze–thaw) of the water in soil plays a pivotal role in global water, energy, and carbon cycles. The water content of the top few centimeters (∼5 cm) of soil is typically referred to as surface soil moisture (SSM), which defines how wet or dry the soil is in its top layer. SSM is a key component of the microclimate that governs the interaction of water and heat fluxes between the ground and the atmosphere, regulating air temperature and humidity, and thus, affecting climatic conditions and weather changes. Knowledge of the temporal dynamics and spatial variability of soil moisture is crucial in understanding many environmental processes and their impacts on plant fertility, crop yields, droughts, or exposure to flood hazards… Read more
