	Welcome to the
	AACES-1 Project
	Australian Airborne Cal/val Experiment for SMOS

Overview

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Satellite Data

Microwave Sensors

SMOS
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Optical Sensors

MODIS
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ASTER
Landsat
CHRIS
AVNIR-2

Aircraft Data

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Thermal Infrared data
Multi-Spectral data

Ground Data

Monitoring stations
Soil moisture sampling
Vegetation sampling
Roughness sampling

Ancillary Data

Campaign shapefiles
DEM
Land use
Climate data
Rainfall data
Soil classification
Soil water capacity
Soil texture analysis

Download Centre

AACES homepage
Moisturemap homepage

MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)

MODIS-Terra

Source: http://terra.nasa.gov, access on 28th, Apr. 2010

MODIS-Aqua

Source: http://aqua.nasa.gov, access on 28th, Apr. 2010

The MODIS instrument is a highly sensitive radiometer operating in 36 spectral bands ranging from 0.4μm to 14.4μm. Two bands are imaged at a nominal resolution of 250m at nadir, five bands at 500m, and the remaining 29 bands at 1km. MODIS is operating onboard Terra and Aqua. Terra was launched in December 1999 and Aqua in May 2002. A ±55° scanning pattern at 705km altitude achieves a 2,330km swath that provides global coverage every one to two days. Aqua has a 1:30am/pm equator crossing time while Terra has a 10:30am/pm equator crossing time, meaning that MODIS data is typically available on a daily basis. MODIS data are free of charge and can be accessed online. In general, the range of surface temperature values is dependent on the time of acquisition, and is greater for Aqua. The downscaling approaches based on optical data requires a strong coupling between surface temperature and surface soil moisture, which commonly occurs in areas where surface evaporation is not energy limited and when solar radiation is relatively high (usually between 11 am and 3 pm). Therefore MODIS on Aqua (1:30 pm) is more relevant than MODIS on Terra for downscaling purposes. MODIS coverage for the Murrumbidgee Catchment is summarised in the tables below. MODIS data can be downloaded from NASA.

Mission	MODIS
Sensor	Medium-resolution, multi-spectral, cross-track scanning radiometer
Spacecraft	Terra	Aqua
Launch date	18th, Dec. 1999	4th, May 2002
Design life (year)	6	6
Orbit	Near-polar orbit. Cross the equator at 10:30 a.m.(descending node)	Sun-synchronous, near-polar orbit at an altitude of 705 km. Cross the equator at local time ~1:30 p.m. (ascending node) and ~1:30 a.m. (descending).
Spacecraft Operations Control Centre	NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Center Frequency (GHz)	36 spectral bands; 21 within 0.4-3.0 μm; 15 within 3-14.5 μm.
Spatial resolution (km)	Two bands are imaged at a nominal resolution of 250 m at nadir, with five bands at 500 m, and the remaining 29 bands at 1 km
Incidence Angle (°)	±55
Swath (km)	2330
Temporal resolution (day)	1~2

MODIS-Aqua overpass time

MODIS-Terra coverage for the Murrumbidgee Catchment during the first AACES campaign have been determined from a Fortran program based on NORAD data for 6th, Nov. 2009, and are summarized in the table below. Date and time are in UTC. Aircraft flights were assumed to be conducted at 7:45 for descending overpass and 20:35 for ascending overpass.

	: Transect flight within 6 hours		: Patch flight within 6 hours
●	: Fully covered	○	: Partially covered

UTC Date

Start UTC Time

Duration (s)

Flight

Patch

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

2010/1/18

4:40:25

334

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/18

15:42:21

356

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/19

3:44:56

347

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/19

14:47:42

317

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/19

16:27:10

106

T00

○

○

2010/1/20

4:27:53

363

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/20

15:30:03

359

●

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●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/21

3:32:55

313

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/21

5:12:20

134

●

○

2010/1/21

14:36:01

259

P01

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/21

16:13:43

253

P01

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/1/22

4:15:23

379

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/22

15:17:44

361

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/23

3:21:08

250

○

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/23

4:59:11

256

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/1/23

14:24:46

153

○

○

●

2010/1/23

16:00:55

315

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/24

4:03:03

376

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/24

15:05:32

356

P02

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/25

3:10:04

94

○

2010/1/25

4:46:31

315

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/25

15:48:23

347

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/26

3:50:49

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/26

14:53:28

335

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/27

4:33:58

350

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/27

15:36:01

358

P03

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/28

3:38:43

334

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/28

14:41:38

292

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/28

16:20:07

199

●

●

●

○

2010/1/29

4:21:26

374

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/29

15:23:43

360

P04

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/30

3:26:48

288

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/30

5:05:29

208

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/30

14:30:08

215

○

○

●

●

●

2010/1/30

16:07:06

288

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/31

4:09:01

381

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/31

15:11:26

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/1

3:15:14

197

○

●

●

●

2010/2/1

4:52:39

289

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/2/1

15:54:27

333

T01

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/2

3:56:44

369

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/2

14:59:18

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/3

4:40:04

334

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/3

15:41:59

356

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/4

3:44:34

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/4

14:47:20

317

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/4

16:26:50

102

○

2010/2/5

4:27:32

363

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/5

15:29:41

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/6

3:32:33

314

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/6

5:12:00

130

●

○

2010/2/6

14:35:38

261

P05

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/6

16:13:22

251

P05

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/2/7

4:15:02

379

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/7

15:17:23

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/8

3:20:46

252

○

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/8

4:58:51

254

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/2/8

14:24:23

156

○

○

●

2010/2/8

16:00:34

314

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/9

4:02:41

377

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/9

15:05:10

356

P07

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/10

3:09:40

100

○

2010/2/10

4:46:10

314

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/10

15:48:01

347

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/11

3:50:27

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/11

14:53:06

336

P06

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/12

4:33:37

350

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/12

15:35:39

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/13

3:38:21

335

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/13

14:41:16

293

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/13

16:19:46

197

●

●

●

○

2010/2/14

4:21:05

373

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/14

15:23:21

360

P08

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/15

3:26:26

289

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/15

5:05:09

206

●

●

●

●

○

2010/2/15

14:29:45

217

○

○

●

●

●

2010/2/15

16:06:45

287

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/2/16

4:08:40

380

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/16

15:11:04

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/17

3:14:52

199

○

●

●

●

2010/2/17

4:52:18

288

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/2/17

14:19:16

18

○

2010/2/17

15:54:05

333

P09

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/18

3:56:23

369

P10

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/18

14:58:56

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/19

4:39:43

333

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/19

15:41:38

355

T02

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/20

3:44:12

349

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/20

14:46:58

318

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/20

16:26:31

97

○

2010/2/21

4:27:11

362

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/21

15:29:19

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

MODIS-Terra overpass time

MODIS-Terra coverage for the Murrumbidgee Catchment during the first AACES campaign have been determined from a Fortran program based on NORAD data for 6th, Nov. 2009, and are summarized in the table below. The date and time are UTC time. Aircraft flights were assumed to be conducted at 7:45 for descending overpass and 20:35 for ascending overpass.

	: Transect flight within 6 hours		: Patch flight within 6 hours
●	: Fully covered	○	: Partially covered

UTC Date

Start UTC Time

Duration (s)

Flight

Patch

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

2010/1/18

0:22:41

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/18

12:25:33

312

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/18

14:04:55

139

●

○

2010/1/18

23:28:39

258

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/19

1:06:20

254

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/1/19

13:08:01

379

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/20

0:10:22

361

T00

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/20

12:13:47

247

○

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/20

13:51:48

258

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/20

23:17:24

152

○

○

●

2010/1/21

0:53:32

316

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/21

12:55:40

376

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/21

23:58:09

356

P01

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/22

12:02:45

84

○

2010/1/22

13:39:08

315

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/23

0:40:59

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/23

12:43:26

358

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/23

23:46:06

334

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/24

13:26:35

351

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/25

0:28:37

359

P02

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/25

12:31:20

333

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/25

23:34:15

291

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/26

1:12:42

202

●

●

●

○

2010/1/26

13:14:02

374

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/27

0:16:19

360

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/27

12:19:25

286

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/27

13:58:03

212

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/27

23:22:45

214

P03

○

○

●

●

●

2010/1/28

0:59:41

290

P03

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/28

13:01:37

380

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/29

0:04:02

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/29

12:07:52

192

○

○

●

●

2010/1/29

13:45:13

292

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/1/30

0:47:02

334

P04

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/30

12:49:20

368

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/30

23:51:53

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/1/31

13:32:38

335

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/1

0:34:34

356

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/1

12:37:09

347

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/1

23:39:56

315

T01

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/2

1:19:21

110

T01

○

○

2010/2/2

13:20:05

364

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/3

0:22:15

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/3

12:25:08

312

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/3

14:04:30

139

●

○

2010/2/3

23:28:14

257

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/4

1:05:54

254

●

●

●

●

●

○

○

2010/2/4

13:07:35

379

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/5

0:09:56

361

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/5

12:13:21

247

○

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/5

13:51:22

258

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

○

2010/2/5

23:16:59

150

○

○

●

2010/2/6

0:53:06

316

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/6

12:55:14

376

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/6

23:57:43

355

P05

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/7

12:02:20

81

○

2010/2/7

13:38:41

316

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/8

0:40:32

348

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/8

12:42:59

359

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/8

23:45:39

334

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/9

13:26:07

352

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/10

0:28:10

359

P07

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/10

12:30:53

332

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/10

23:33:48

290

○

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/11

1:12:14

203

●

●

●

○

2010/2/11

13:13:34

374

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/12

0:15:51

360

P06

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/12

12:18:58

284

○

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

2010/2/12

13:57:35

213

●

●

●

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2010/2/12

23:22:18

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2010/2/13

0:59:13

290

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2010/2/13

13:01:09

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2010/2/14

0:03:33

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2010/2/14

12:07:24

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2010/2/14

13:44:44

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2010/2/15

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2010/2/15

12:48:51

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2010/2/15

23:51:24

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2010/2/16

13:32:09

335

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2010/2/17

0:34:04

356

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2010/2/17

12:36:40

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2010/2/17

23:39:26

315

P09

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2010/2/18

1:18:49

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P09

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2010/2/18

13:19:35

364

P10

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2010/2/19

0:21:45

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2010/2/19

12:24:38

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2010/2/19

14:03:59

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2010/2/19

23:27:44

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T02

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2010/2/20

1:05:23

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2010/2/20

13:07:05

379

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2010/2/21

0:09:25

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2010/2/21

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2010/2/21

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2010/2/21

23:16:28

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Created: January 2010
Last Modified: August 2010
Maintainer: YE Nan, Ye.Nan@monash.edu