However, the geographic coverage would not be large, as the 57 orbital inclination limitation does not permit measurements on the major ice sheets. In the open ocean, the frontal location of major currents such as the Gulf Stream and California Current can be measured. Even adding the interferometric capability does not offer a great deal to oceanography in the form that the interferometer is usually conceived. Were these latter capabilities to prove successful, then the oceanographic community could become a stronger driver for future advanced SAR missions. Hydrology Snow hydrology has already been discussed above.
Soil moisture is a key variable in both research and operational applications.
However, the nature of the correlation is strongly affected by surface roughness and slope and vegetation cover. The instrument responds to soil moisture in the top few centimeters, not the deeper soil moisture. The earlier SRL flights did not provide the data necessary to assess the utility and desired parameters for a multiparameter SAR system to measure soil moisture on a routine basis. The previous flights took place during seasons when the soil moisture was evenly distributed. A midsummer flight would offer the opportunity to continue the investigations at a more favorable time.