Urban Surface Temperature and Humidity Dataset for Greenbelt, MD

NASA collected air temperature and relative humidity data at 12 locations around the Goddard Space Flight Center campus. Measurements were taken at 15-minute intervals over a two-year period to analyze how different ground surfaces influence local heating. This dataset serves as a ground-level reference for studying urban heat island effects and validating satellite observations.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-derived land surface temperature estimates using ground-based sensor data.
• Analyzing the thermal performance of stormwater mitigation features like bio-retention ponds and rain gardens.
• Comparing temperature and humidity profiles across seven distinct surface types, including asphalt, grass, and forest.
• Calibrating microclimate models for campus-scale urban heating studies.

Strengths

• Data covers a two-year period from November 2013 to November 2015, providing seasonal context.
• Sensors were placed at 2-meter height on seven distinct surface types for controlled comparison.
• Includes pre- and post-deployment calibration data from office and garage settings.

Limitations

• Exact row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last update date: one states 2026-03-13, another states 2015-12-28.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

In-situ sensors mounted on posts at 2 meters above ground at 12 campus locations.

Time Range

November 2013 to November 2015

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:19:42.341067

Geography

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA