Temporal coverage: 31 March 2015 - present
The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) “Surface Soil Temperature 9 km (L4, 12z Instantaneous, Model Value-Added)” layer displays model-derived global surface soil temperature in the top 5 cm of the soil column in Kelvin (K) posted on a 9 km EASE-Grid 2.0. Surface soil temperature estimates are based on a soil heat diffusion model component of the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model. 12z indicates the Z (or UTC) time used for nearest 3-hourly analysis time when SMAP observations are merged into the assimilation system.
The SMAP spacecraft carries two instruments, a radar (active) and a radiometer (passive), that together make global measurements of land surface soil moisture and freeze/thaw state. It is useful for monitoring and predicting natural hazards such as floods and droughts, understanding the linkages between Earth’s water, energy and carbon cycles, and reducing uncertainties in predicting weather and climate.
References: SMAP L4 9 km EASE-Grid Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture Analysis Update
Data field: soil_temp_layer1_analysis