Relief effects of mountain areas on soil moisture retrieval using passive C-band: A case study in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
山区地形效应对微波辐射特征与土壤水分反演的影响—以青藏高原地区为例

Topography affects the distribution of land surface microwave radiation and soil moisture. Therefore, it is one of significant factors for passive microwave remote sensing. Using the spaceborne radiometer AMSR-E at C-band, a simplified microwave radiative transfer model for mountain areas was developed. Its implement for the relief effect estimations over Qinghai- Tibet Plateau shows due to topography brightness temperatures at vertical polarization are attenuated about 16 K, conversely, horizontal brightness temperatures are enhanced 18 K, and soil moisture is overestimated and even exceeds the maximum allowed retrieval error (4%). Finally, the potential approach of the topographic correction is provided by the computation of the surface effective emissivity.