An airborne multiple-beam 1.4 GHz pushbroom microwave radiometer

A method is described for providing soil moisture measurements from satellites by performing simultaneous measurements across track (the pushbroom approach). The method has the advantage of obtaining the required swath width without sacrificing sensitivity. A prototype Pushbroom Microwave Radiometer developed at NASA's Langley Research Center is described. It is a multibeam L-Band (1413 MHz) radiometer system providing simultaneous cross track measurements. Results of flight tests onboard a P-3 aircraft are discussed.