CLPX Airborne Gamma Surveys for Snow and Soil Moisture

Airborne gamma radiation surveys were conducted over three Meso-cell Study Areas in northern Colorado. NASA collected data during five distinct periods from September 2001 to March 2003 to establish background radiation for calculating snow water equivalent and soil moisture. This dataset supports the Cold Land Processes Field Experiment (CLPX).

Use Cases

• Calculating snow water equivalent (SWE) by comparing winter gamma radiation to established background levels.
• Estimating soil moisture content through airborne gamma radiation measurements.
• Analyzing seasonal and interannual variability in snow cover and soil wetness across the study areas.
• Validating satellite-based or model-derived snow and soil moisture products for the CLPX region.
• Studying the relationship between gamma radiation signatures and land surface hydrological states.

Strengths

• Data collection spans five distinct time periods over 18 months, from September 2001 to March 2003.
• Surveys cover three specific Meso-cell Study Areas (MSAs) within the CLPX experimental design.
• Measurements provide the necessary background gamma radiation for deriving snow and soil moisture variables.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last update date: one states 2003-03-31, another states a future date of 2026-03 13.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Airborne gamma radiation surveys conducted over defined study areas.

Time Range

September 2001 to March 2003

Freshness

2003-03-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Three Meso-cell Study Areas (MSAs) in northern Colorado, USA