CubeSats in Hydrology: Ultrahigh‐Resolution Insights Into Vegetation Dynamics and Terrestrial Evaporation

• Published in: Water resources research Vol. 53; no. 12; pp. 10017 - 10024
• Main Authors: McCabe, M. F., Aragon, B., Houborg, R., Mascaro, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-12-2017
• Subjects: Capacity; Detection; Dynamics; Earth; Earth orbits; Evaporation; Frequency dependence; Hydrologic processes; Hydrology; Low earth orbits; Remote sensing; Resolution; Satellite constellations; Satellites; Spaceborne remote sensing; Spatial discrimination; Spatial resolution; Vegetation
• ISSN: 0043-1397; 1944-7973
• DOI: 10.1002/2017WR022240

Abstract Satellite‐based remote sensing has generally necessitated a trade‐off between spatial resolution and temporal frequency, affecting the capacity to observe fast hydrological processes and rapidly changing land surface conditions. An avenue for overcoming these spatiotemporal restrictions is the concept of using constellations of satellites, as opposed to the mission focus exemplified by the more conventional space‐agency approach to earth observation. Referred to as CubeSats, these platforms offer the potential to provide new insights into a range of earth system variables and processes. Their emergence heralds a paradigm shift from single‐sensor launches to an operational approach that envisions tens to hundreds of small, lightweight, and comparatively inexpensive satellites placed into a range of low earth orbits. Although current systems are largely limited to sensing in the optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, we demonstrate the opportunity and potential that CubeSats present the hydrological community via the retrieval of vegetation dynamics and terrestrial evaporation and foreshadow future sensing capabilities.
Key Points CubeSat systems have the potential to revolutionize earth observation and advance hydrological remote sensing CubeSats offer improved spatiotemporal insights, providing ultrahigh resolution and near‐daily global revisit times We present the highest resolution estimates of evaporation ever retrieved from space and the first LAI from CubeSat data