GNSS-R for Sustainable Development: A Review of the Geophysical Variables Addressed by the Hydrognss Mission

HydroGNSS is the second mission supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the Scout program, which is a new framework (3 years from KO to launch, cost ≤ 30 M€) by which ESA aims to demonstrate disruptive sensing techniques or incremental science, while retaining the potential to be subsequently scaled up in larger missions or implemented in future ESA Earth Observation programmes. HydroGNSS consists of a scientific demonstrator that primarily addresses land bio-geophysical variables. The mission is comprised of one satellite (with an option on the second) flying at a low-Earth orbit to collect Global Navigation Satellite System reflections (i.e., Delay Doppler Maps, DDMs) near continuously over the globe. The DDMs are used to generate Level 2 products related to Essential Climate Variables (ECV s), whose estimation defines the primary scientific goal of the mission. In this contribution we outline a review of the ECVs targeted by HydroGNSS, showing some representative results achieved during preliminary studies about the mission. Special emphasis is given to the monitoring of soil freeze-thaw state and soil moisture. ECVs are of great interest and support the sustainable development agenda adopted by the United Nations members in 2015.