Towards Requirements and Advantages of a P- Band Passive Microwave Radiometer Mission for Brightness Temperature Assimilation

This thesis presents the first investigation comparing the use of P-band (0.75 GHz) and L-band (1.41 GHz) radiometer data to improve soil moisture profiles. It uses data from a tower-based experiment in Victoria, Australia, where brightness temperatures are assimilated into the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model using an Ensemble Kalman Filter. This novel study explores the necessary specifications for a future P-band satellite mission. By applying an assimilation system approach, it aims to support the development of satellite missions that provide deeper and more accurate global soil moisture estimates from space.