Monitoring agricultural field trafficability using Sentinel-1

Summary

This study assessed the feasibility of using Sentinel-1 satellite-derived surface soil moisture to monitor agricultural field trafficability, a key concern for minimising soil compaction from heavy machinery. The authors established coupled conditions between surface and subsurface soil moisture at values ≥0.19 cm³ cm⁻³ and developed a probabilistic framework linking soil moisture to penetration resistance thresholds. Findings indicate that whilst Sentinel-1's high temporal resolution can track trafficability, crop maturity and root growth significantly influence the soil moisture–compaction relationship, suggesting that satellite-derived estimates require contextualisation with agronomic conditions.

UK applicability

The methodology is directly applicable to UK agricultural conditions, where heavy machinery use and soil compaction are significant concerns in both arable and mixed farming systems. However, UK practitioners would need to calibrate the soil moisture coupling thresholds and penetration resistance benchmarks for specific soil types and climate zones, as the study was conducted in Netherlands conditions.

Key measures

Surface and subsurface soil moisture (cm³ cm⁻³), penetration resistance (threshold exceedance probability), Sentinel-1 radar backscatter, in situ measurements across multiple crops over 2016–2017

Outcomes reported

The study established the feasibility of using Sentinel-1 surface soil moisture data to monitor field trafficability by determining coupled and decoupled soil moisture conditions and applying a probabilistic approach to quantify trafficability as the probability of exceeding penetration resistance thresholds. The research demonstrated that trafficability status can be monitored through high temporal resolution satellite data, though temporal variability is influenced by crop maturity and root growth alongside soil moisture.

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