Surface Albedo and Ground Cover Measurements from Jornada PROVE 1997

This dataset contains field measurements of broadband surface albedo and classified ground cover from the Prototype Validation Exercise (PROVE) conducted in May 1997. The data was collected by NASA along transects at grassland and transitional vegetation sites within the Jornada Experimental Range in New Mexico. Measurements were taken at multiple times of day to capture variations under different solar illumination conditions.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite or model-derived albedo estimates using ground-based broadband albedo measurements.
• Analyzing the relationship between surface albedo and ground cover proportions (bare soil, live vegetation, woody cover) derived from classified hemispherical photographs.
• Studying the spatial variation of albedo along north, south, east, and west transects radiating from a central tower.
• Investigating diurnal changes in albedo by comparing measurements taken at three different times of day (different solar zenith angles).
• Assessing surface properties at a key validation site for remote sensing during a focused campaign period.

Strengths

• Data includes spatially explicit measurements along multiple transects at 10-meter intervals.
• Ground cover is quantified via classified hemispherical photographs, providing a visual record alongside albedo values.
• Measurements capture temporal variation under a range of solar illumination conditions at different times of day.
• Dataset is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating recognized importance for validation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided on any platform.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist: Data.gov shows 2026-03-12 (likely a metadata error), while NASA Earthdata shows 1997-05-27.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without explicit terms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Field measurements sampled along transects and hemispherical photography, with images classified for ground cover proportion.

Time Range

1997-05 20 to 1997-05-30

Freshness

1997-05-27

Geography

Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico, USA