Emerging and potential future applications of satellite-based soil moisture products

This chapter describes the emerging applications for satellite-based soil moisture (SM) data and proposes possible future uses, backed up by some preliminary research which has helped to identify this need. Applications across the ecological and hydrological sciences, in a wide range of discipline areas, are considered. The more established application areas of numerical weather prediction and climate modelling are not considered in this chapter. The chapter starts with applications of global relevance, and then goes on to focussing on the potential applications in Africa, where the needs for accurate information on water resources are particularly urgent in order to address issues of food and water security. Finally, the current limitations and future developments influencing the application of satellite SM data are discussed