Improving soil moisture retrieval by incorporating a priori information on roughness parameters

In this paper we examine the influence of a priori information on the roughness characteristics of agricultural fields within the context of soil moisture retrieval using SAR. Laser profile data from several European in-situ measurement campaigns is put together and typical distributions for 3 tillage types - seedbed, harrowed and ploughed - determined. In a subsequent step the information content and the retrieval uncertainties before and after a priori roughness information has been introduced into the inversion procedure is determined using a Bayesian approach.