Aims and scope

Microwave remote sensing uses the microwave portion of the spectrum with wavelengths approximately from one millimeter to a few tens of centimeters. Such longer wavelength range enables the microwave signals to penetrate through cloud, dust particles, and even profound precipitation. Therefore, observation in all weather and environmental conditions is possible acquiring data at any time, which cannot be achieved through visible and/or infrared remote sensing. Besides, microwave remote sensing can provide some unique information with the help of frequency characteristics, polarization state, and backscattering, not observed by visible and/or infrared sensors. Given the advantage of microwave remote sensing, the earth science community has seen very notable efforts over the last few decades in various aspects of science and applications with microwave remote sensing data.

From the passive microwave remote sensing perspective, a good number of satellite missions have recently been launched or are planned to be launched, carrying microwave instrument, in order to provide a global picture of our planet’s ever-changing climate, atmosphere, and water cycle. For instance, the GPM, TRMM, NPP, Megha-Tropiques, GCOM-W, Aqua, DMSP, MetOp, SMOS, and SMAP – all these satellite missions carry passive microwave instrument, dedicated to collect and distribute remotely-sensed land, ocean, and atmospheric data to the science and operational communities. There have also been some active microwave remote sensing contributing space missions in recent years towards better understanding of our earth and atmosphere, which would lead to improved forecasts of extreme weather. The radar, altimeter, and scatterometer onboard CloudSat, TanDEM-X, Jason, and RapidScat satellite missions are quite a few of such efforts. Ground-based dual polarization radars are also the recent examples of state-of-the-art active microwave remote sensing technology. Overall, microwave remote sensing technology is an emerging research area that will develop further over the years.

Papers for the special issue must address relevant topics in emerging microwave remote sensing science and applications, and incorporate sound implementation with real and/or simulated data from existing or upcoming satellite missions. The articles dealing with any kind of microwave remote sensing data (passive and/or active sensing) are welcome.

The technical topics of interest include (but are not limited to)

Passive microwave remote sensing from satellite, air, and ground-based platforms (e.g. microwave radiometer)
Active microwave remote sensing from satellite, air, and ground-based platforms (e.g. cloud radar, SAR, altimeter, scatterometer)
Design and calibration of microwave remote sensing instrument
Microwave remote sensing theory, radiative transfer, interferometry, and polarimetry
Geophysical retrieval and data assimilation capabilities
Physical modeling and statistical analysis using microwave remote sensing data
Validation and uncertainty analysis of microwave remote sensing products
Submission

Author guidelines for preparation of manuscript can be found http://www.elsevier.com/journals/physics-of-the-earth-and-planetary-interiors/0031-9201/guide-for-authors

Submissions must be made electronically via the Elsevier Editorial System at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/physics-of-the-earth-and-planetary-interiors

To submit for this special issue please use the Article Type - SI:Microwave remote sensing

All submissions will be peer reviewed according to the journal guidelines. Submitted articles should not have been published or be under review elsewhere.

Important dates

Manuscripts due: December 31, 2014
Expected publication date: July 2015

Guest editors

Dr. Tanvir Islam, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR & CIRA/Colorado State University, USA
Email: tanvir.islam@noaa.gov

Dr. Prashant K. Srivastava, NASA/GSFC & ESSIC, University of Maryland, USA
Email: prashant.k.srivastava@nasa.gov

Prof. Irena Hajnsek, German Aerospace Center, Germany & ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Email: irena.hajnsek@dlr.de

Dr. Jerome Benveniste, European Space Agency, Italy
Email: jerome.benveniste@esa.int

Prof. Linlin Ge, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Australia
Email: l.ge@unsw.edu.au