BOREAS HYD-03: Subcanopy Solar Radiation on Snow

Several pyranometers collected solar radiation data for 3-4 consecutive days in jack pine (1994) and black spruce and aspen forests (1996). The BOREAS HYD-03 team used this array to test the hypothesis that energy transfer and snow water equivalent vary spatially with canopy closure. Data quality is noted as good due to generally clear days and daily maintenance of the radiometers.

Use Cases

• Modeling spatial variation in snowmelt based on solar radiation measurements.
• Studying forest canopy effects on subcanopy energy transfer.
• Validating hydrological models of snow water equivalent in forested areas.

Strengths

• Data was collected for 3-4 consecutive days in each of three forest types, providing focused temporal snapshots.
• Quality is noted as good due to clear conditions and daily radiometer maintenance.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA and Data.gov signals recognized scientific importance.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are unknown, limiting immediate analysis.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist (1996 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about data currency.
• The temporal coverage is limited to short periods in 1994 and 1996.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) BOREAS HYD-03 team.

Collection Method

Measurements from an array of pyranometers placed on the snow surface.

Time Range

1994 (jack pine) and 1996 (black spruce and aspen).

Freshness

2026-03-13 12:36:49.516951 (Data.gov), conflicting with a 1996 date on NASA Earthdata.

Geography

Boreal forest areas studied by the BOREAS project.