ESA - SMOS - SMOS gains clearer view as illegal transmitters shut down

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An Earth Explorer Mapping soil moisture and ocean salinity Improving our understanding of the water cycle Introducing a novel use of technology Facts and figures

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Achim Hahne, Project Manager Susanne Mecklenburg, Mission Manager Matthias Drusch, Mission Scientist Jordi Font, Co-Lead Investigator Yann Kerr, Co-Lead Investigator Manuel Martin-Neira, Instrument Principal Engineer Guillermo Buenadicha, Payload Operations Engineer Andrés Borges, EADS CASA Espacio Payload Project Manager Roger Jegou, Launch Campaign Manager Norrie Wright, Payload Data Ground Segment Manager

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SMOS gains clearer view as illegal transmitters shut down

14 June 2011

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As the animation shows, the amount of radio-frequency interference that is contaminating SMOS data has reduced significantly over the last year. ESA's Earth Observation Frequency Management and SMOS teams have collaborated with various international and national committees and organisations to detect and shut down unwanted signals.

Credits: CESBIO

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The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission carries state-of-the-art technology in the form of the sophisticated MIRAS interferometric radiometer. Its large Y-shaped antenna detects microwave radiation emitted from the surface of Earth. These images of ‘brightness temperature’ are transformed into maps of soil moisture and ocean salinity.

Credits: ES/AOES Medialab

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As an example, the amount of radio-frequency interference that was contaminating SMOS data over Greece has reduced significantly. This image shows brightness temperatures recently observed by SMOS, which can be compared with the next image showing the situation around a year ago. The difference is thanks to the efforts that have been made to shut down unwanted signals stemming from sources such as television and radio links, radar and wireless camera monitoring systems.

Credits: ESA

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This example of radio-frequency interference over Greece a year ago shows how the interference rendered the data unusable for scientific purposes.

Credits: ESA

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Types of radio-frequency interference that have been contaminating the data from SMOS. Of the known types, most interference comes from radio links.

Credits: ESA

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As well as contaminating soil moisture data over land, radio-frequency interference also affects ocean salinity data. An arc of contamination, which is due to interference from radar systems in North America, can clearly be seen stretching across the Arctic Ocean. The interference displays a much higher brightness temperatures than the relatively stable brightness temperatures over oceans. The situation is likely to improve in the near future as there are plans to refurbish networks in North America.

Credits: ESA

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