Validation of Multiple Soil Moisture Products over an Intensive Agricultural Region: Overall Accuracy and Diverse Responses to Precipitation and Irrigation Events

Remote sensing and land surface models promote the understanding of soil moisture dynamics by means multiple products. These products differ in data sources, algorithms, model structures forcing datasets, complicating selection optimal products, especially regions with complex covers. This study compared different algorithms flagging strategies based on situ observations Anhui province, China, an intensive agricultural region diverse landscapes. In general, outperform remote terms valid coverage, metrics against or triple collocation analysis, responsiveness to precipitation. performs poorly hilly densely vegetated areas developed water systems, where low volume poor performance satellite (e.g., Soil Moisture Active Passive, SMAP) might constrain accuracy assimilation SMAP L4) downstream Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, CYGNSS). has potential detect irrigation signals depending The single-channel algorithm (SCA) shows a better ability than Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM). SCA-H SCA-V are most sensitive irrigation, whereas LPRM-based Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) passive cannot reflect signals. results offer insight into product improvement.