Computer Model for an Intelligent Adjustment of Weather Conditions Based on Spatial Features for Soil Moisture Estimation

Abstract

In this paper, an intelligent weather conditions fuzzy adjustment based on spatial features (IWeCASF) is developed. It is indispensable for our regional soil moisture estimation approach, complementing a point estimation model of soil moisture from the literature. The point estimation model requires the weather conditions at the point where an estimate is made. Therefore, IWeCASF’s aim is to determine these weather conditions. The procedure begins measuring them at only one checkpoint, called the primary checkpoint. The model determines the weather conditions anywhere within a region through image processing algorithms and fuzzy inference systems. The results are compared with the measurement records and with a spatial interpolation method. The performance is similar to or better than interpolation, especially in the rain, where the model developed is more accurate due to the certainty of replication. Additionally, IWeCASF does not require more than one measurement point. Therefore, it is a more appropriate approach to complement the point estimation model for enabling a regional soil moisture estimation.