BOREAS RSS-17: Tree Stem and Soil Temperature Time Series

Early 1994 to early 1995 is the primary period for this dataset of diurnal stem and soil temperature measurements. The BOREAS RSS-17 team collected the data using thermistors implanted in tree trunks and at various soil depths at five BOREAS flux tower sites. Measurements were logged at intervals of one or two hours to support research on environmental and phenological states.

Use Cases

• Analyzing diurnal temperature patterns in tree stems for phenological studies.
• Correlating soil temperature at depth with above-ground biological processes.
• Validating or calibrating remote sensing models, particularly radar-based environmental monitoring.
• Studying hydroconductive tissue temperature dynamics in boreal forest trees.

Strengths

• Provides diurnal temperature measurements at a sub-daily (1-2 hour) resolution.
• Data collection spans multiple sites (five BOREAS tower sites) and depths.
• Associated with the well-documented BOREAS project led by NASA.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data structure are not provided in the available metadata.
• There is a conflict in reported last updated dates: one source lists 1995-04-26, while another lists 2026-03-13, suggesting potential metadata issues.
• The exact number of rows and file size are unknown.

Provenance

Source

BOREAS RSS-17 team, organized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Collection Method

Temperatures measured with thermistors implanted in tree trunks and soil, stored on data loggers.

Time Range

Early 1994 to early 1995.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 1995-04-26 (nasa_earthdata) and 2026-03-13 (datagov).

Geography

BOREAS flux tower sites (specific locations not detailed).