Articles | Volume 18, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-739-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-739-2021
Research article
 | 
01 Feb 2021
Research article |  | 01 Feb 2021

L-band vegetation optical depth as an indicator of plant water potential in a temperate deciduous forest stand

Nataniel M. Holtzman, Leander D. L. Anderegg, Simon Kraatz, Alex Mavrovic, Oliver Sonnentag, Christoforos Pappas, Michael H. Cosh, Alexandre Langlois, Tarendra Lakhankar, Derek Tesser, Nicholas Steiner, Andreas Colliander, Alexandre Roy, and Alexandra G. Konings

Data sets

SMAPVEX19-21 Massachusetts Vegetation Optical Depth, Version 1 Nataniel Holtzman, Alexandra G. Konings, Alexandre Roy, Andreas Colliander https://doi.org/10.5067/2PZJDURUJLWF

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Short summary
Microwave radiation coming from Earth's land surface is affected by both soil moisture and the water in plants that cover the soil. We measured such radiation with a sensor elevated above a forest canopy while repeatedly measuring the amount of water stored in trees at the same location. Changes in the microwave signal over time were closely related to tree water storage changes. Satellites with similar sensors could thus be used to monitor how trees in an entire region respond to drought.
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