The Paramount Societal Impact of Soil Moisture

It turns out soil moisture is a big deal. Scientists are coming up with innovative ways to measure and monitor the moisture of soil.

Via EOS:

Soil moisture is the most important hydrologic state variable that directly impacts the global environment and human society. In recognition of its significance, soil moisture has been included in the list of the most fundamental climate variables by the Global Climate Observing System initiative that is co-sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization. A recent article in Reviews of Geophysics explores the latest advances in measurement and monitoring of soil moisture from the pedon to the global scales and discusses opportunities for future research. Here, the authors of the paper answer some questions about basic concepts and methodological developments in this field.