Single-frequency dielectric model of frozen mineral soils for frequencies of the basic satellites

A simple single-frequency dielectric model for the set of frequencies which are 0.45, 1.26, 1.4, 1.6, 5.4, 6.9, 9.6, and 10.7 GHz for frozen mineral soils is developed. The model is based on the dielectric measurements of three typical soils (sandy loam, silt loam, and silty clay) at the temperature range from -1°C to -30°C. The measured data as a function of moisture were fitted with the refractive mixing dielectric model. The model parameters are maximum bound water fraction, and refractive indexes of soil solid, unfrozen bound water, and wet ice. In the result of fitting measured data, the model parameters were determined as a functions of soil type (clay content), and soil temperature. The error of the predicted values of the complex relative permittivity (CRP) of frozen soils relative to the measured ones was evaluated through determination coefficients, and root mean square error (RMSE). The values of RMSE are on the order of the dielectric measurement error itself. The proposed dielectric model can be applied in active and passive remote sensing techniques used in the cold regions.