Bowen Ratio Surface Flux: GSFC (FIFE)

NASA's Bowen Ratio Surface Flux Observations (GSFC) Data Set contains surface energy flux measurements collected in 1987. The data originate from a major collection effort involving 16 stationary sites equipped with Bowen ratio equipment within the FIFE area. Measurements from a single grazed upland site include fluxes of net radiation, sensible heat, latent heat, and several micrometeorological parameters.

Use Cases

• Validating land surface models based on direct measurements of sensible and latent heat fluxes.
• Analyzing soil heat budget dynamics using soil temperature and moisture data.
• Studying surface energy partitioning over grazed grassland based on net radiation and flux observations.
• Calibrating remote sensing estimates of evapotranspiration using ground-truth latent heat flux data.

Strengths

• Data collection involved a coordinated effort across 16 stationary sites, suggesting a structured observational campaign.
• Measurements capture multiple components of the surface energy balance (net radiation, sensible heat, latent heat) from a single, well-described site.

Limitations

• Conflicting last-update dates (1987 vs. 2026) across platforms create uncertainty about data currency and potential reprocessing.
• Column names and exact data structure are not provided, limiting immediate usability.
• The dataset's spatial scale is limited to a single upland site within the FIFE area.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data collected using Bowen Ratio techniques by different groups.

Time Range

1987

Freshness

2026-03-13 07:43:16.756703

Geography

Selected sites within the FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) area, with all detailed measurements from a single upland grazed site.