Das Projekt "Use of SCA cross-polarisation information for soil moisture retrieval" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Wien, Department für Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Forschungsgruppe Photogrammetrie und Fernerkundung (E122) durchgeführt. Forthe EPS-SG SCA instrument, the successor of MetOp ASCAT, the inclusion of a VH polarisation channel on the mid-beam antenna is currently being considered. The two main goals for the proposed study are (i) to evaluate the potential use of the cross-polarisation channel for improving soil moisture retrievals based on VV-polarised data only, and (ii) to propose a preliminary algorithm that exploits this potential. These goals will be achieved by undertaking three major tasks: Task 1: An initial conceptual assessment through a compreshensive literature review - Task 2: An assessment based on real data analysis, using existing instruments with properties close to those of SCA (C-Band, VV/VH polarization, multi-incidence-angle observations) to characterise the varying surface parameter contributions to the backscatter signal and to assess sensitivity, accuracy, and spatio-temporal variability aspects. Task 3: A preliminary algorithm formulation based on the findings of (1) and (2).