FIFE Ground Surface Temperature Measurements from 1989

NASA's Surface Temperatures from UNL Data Set contains ground-based radiant temperature measurements collected during the FIFE experiment. Data was gathered at three specific sites over a four-week period from July 15 to August 11, 1989, using an Everest multiplexed infrared thermometer. Measurements were coordinated with aircraft and satellite overpasses to study flux variability related to topography, vegetation, and land management.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite or aircraft remote sensing data for land surface temperature retrieval algorithms.
• Analyzing diurnal and seasonal patterns of surface thermal emissions across different vegetative communities.
• Modeling surface energy balance and emitted fluxes as a function of topography and management practices.
• Studying spatial and temporal variability of ground temperature at the three documented FIFE sites (906, 916, 966).

Strengths

• Data collection was temporally dense, spanning nearly a month from July 15 to August 11, 1989.
• Measurements were spatially coordinated at three distinct FIFE area sites, enabling comparative analysis.
• Collection methodology was detailed, using a specific Everest Model 4000 IRT mounted with a Barnes MMR.

Limitations

• Critical metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all sources.
• There is a conflict regarding the dataset's last update date: one source lists 1989-08-11, while another lists a future date of 2026-03 12.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Surface temperatures measured with an Everest multiplexed infrared thermometer (IRT) Model 4000, mounted on a portable mast with a Barnes Modular Multiband Radiometer.

Time Range

1989-07-15 to 1989-08-11

Freshness

1989-08-11

Geography

Three FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) area sites: 906 (2133-EVN), 916 (4439-EVN), and 966 (2437-EVN).