Articles | Volume 18, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-4047-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-4047-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description article
| 
15 Jun 2026
Data description article |
| 15 Jun 2026
| 15 Jun 2026
An operational global L-band soil moisture and vegetation optical depth dataset from optimized 40° SMOS brightness temperatures for 2010–2024
Zanpin Xing
Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Key Laboratory of Pan-third Pole Biogeochemical Cycling, Lanzhou 730000, China
Chayu integrated observation and research station of the Xizang Autonomous Region, Xizang, China
Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Frédéric Frappart
INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon, France
Gabrielle De Lannoy
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee 3001, Belgium
Thomas Jagdhuber
Microwaves and Radar Institute, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 82234 Weßling, Germany
Institute of Geography, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
Jian Peng
Department of Remote Sensing, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Institute for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Lei Fan
Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Hongliang Ma
INRAE, UMR 1114 EMMAH, UMT CAPTE, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, 84000 Avignon, France
Lanka Karthikeyan
Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
Centre for Climate Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
Xiangzhuo Liu
INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon, France
Mengjia Wang
INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon, France
School of Geo-Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
School of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Yongqin Liu
Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Key Laboratory of Pan-third Pole Biogeochemical Cycling, Lanzhou 730000, China
Chayu integrated observation and research station of the Xizang Autonomous Region, Xizang, China
Jean-Pierre Wigneron
INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon, France
Data sets
An operational global L-band soil moisture and vegetation optical depth dataset from optimized 40° SMOS brightness temperatures Zanpin Xing et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17647385
Short summary
Microwave satellite observations of Earth’s land surface are important for tracking global soil moisture and vegetation water content. We use data from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite to first reduce noise and contamination in microwave signals, then produce more reliable long-term records of these variables. Tests against ground stations and other satellites show that the new record performs better than existing products and supports drought, freeze-thaw, and carbon monitoring.
Microwave satellite observations of Earth’s land surface are important for tracking global soil...
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