Date of upload:
25.09.2023
Co-author:
Raffaele Crapolicchio, Nicola Comparetti, Lorenzo Di Ciolo
Abstract:
SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) is an ESA’s Earth Explorer Mission operating since 2009, providing observations of soil moisture and sea surface salinity, It carries on board a passive L-Band 2-D interferometric full polarization radiometer which, for its orbit geometry and antennae FoV, captures signals not only from the Earth but also from its surrounding sky, including the Sun.
the SMOS data processor includes an algorithm to correct the impact of the direct L-band Sun signal inside the final image. But this signal can be used to derive the new Sun Brightness Temperature (BT) prototype products, proposed in this presentation, where we describe the algorithm derived to generate these products and their content, the algorithm set up for a radio burst detection bulletin, and the products validation. We also present current and future applications of these products as input for Earth science data, Ionosphere science modelling and Space Weather.