rOPTRAM: Deriving Soil Moisture from Satellite Imagery in R

Abstract

Soil moisture at the Earth’s surface is essential in many hydrological, pedological, and biological processes. Earth observations from satellites have been recognized as the most efficient and reliable means for assessing soil water content. The satellite-derived OPTRAM model has been shown to determine soil moisture over large areas accurately. Spectral data were obtained from different spaceborne systems to calculate several vegetation indices, and the model was adjusted to various SM conditions. The rOPTRAM package allows researchers and practitioners to monitor soil moisture contents at a regional scale and long-time intervals.