A clearer view of Earth’s water cycle via neural networks and satellite data

To manage and protect water resources, it is necessary to understand the water cycle. Passive microwave radiometers onboard satellites are used to monitor water resources, like soil moisture. However, microwave sensors, such as radiometers, are too coarse to see small-scale meteorological features, which can affect large-scale phenomena occurring within the water cycle. Other spaceborne instruments produce finer-resolution images, but these instruments are much more sensitive to cloud contamination, limiting their useful coverage.