Western Europe’s exceptionally dry spring is clear to see in maps generated using data from SMOS. While these maps offer an interesting view of the stark difference in soil moisture compared to a year ago, the data are also important for agricultural and hydrological applications. ESA’s Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission has been orbiting Earth for 18 months now, making global observations of the moisture held in the top layers of soil and salt in the surface waters of the oceans. These data are much-needed for a better understanding of the water cycle and, in particular, the exchange processes between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere. Read More
