October 1995
This was the first opportunity for AMR to be flown on a scientific mission. Two mission objectives were included in this campaign.
Site : Wakasa Bay
Mission : Sea Surface Wind
Primary cooperative institutes : Meteorological Research Institute
The main objective is to investigate anisotropy of microwave emission from the ocean surface which might depend on sea surface wind direction. Multi directional flights over the same ocean area were made at an incidence angle of approximately 55 degrees.
Site : Lake Biwako basin
Mission : Soil Moisture
Primary cooperative institutes : Nagaoka University of Technology, Pubric Work Research Institute, Saga University, "Biwako Project"
The main objective is to investigate the soil moisture signal in multi frequency microwave emission. The primary interest is the response in C-band (6.925 GHz) to the soil moisture content. A vast number of in-situ soil moisture measurements are taken using various methods (soil sampling, Time Domain Reflectrometry, etc.) under the AMR flights. This campaign was closely related to the Japanese "Biwako Project" in which many hydrologists are participating.