Temporal and spatial dynamics of C-band brightness temperature over the Brazilian tropical savanna

The soil moisture is one of the key hydrological parameters that control the water and energy flows between the atmosphere and land surface, the partitioning of rainfall into infiltration, runoff and evapotranspiration, the photosynthetic activities of vegetation, and the respiration of soil microorganisms. Conventional methods of measuring soil moisture are time-consuming and the data are typically point-based estimates. This study presents the results of spatial and temporal variation analyses of Aqua/AMSR-E brightness temperature data from the Brazilian tropical savanna.