To estimate soil moisture from microwave data, researchers use mixing models that combine the dielectric constants of individual components:
Soil is a heterogeneous mixture of four main components, each contributing differently to the overall dielectric response: Microwave Dielectric Behaviour of Wet Soils
The microwave dielectric behavior of wet soil is primarily governed by its complex dielectric constant ( To estimate soil moisture from microwave data, researchers
or permittivity) , which describes how the soil interacts with electromagnetic radiation . This property is highly sensitive to moisture because dry soil has a low dielectric constant (~3–5), while liquid water has a significantly higher one (~80). 1. Fundamental Components of Soil Dielectricity Microwave Dielectric Behaviour of Wet Soils