SMAPVEX08: Soil Texture Data for the Conterminous United States

Soil texture data extracted from a multi-layer soil characteristics database for the conterminous United States. The data were generated for regional study areas and are representative of conditions during the Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2008 (SMAPVEX08) campaign. The dataset is hosted by NASA Earthdata and was last updated by NSIDC_CPRD in October 2008.

Use Cases

• Validate satellite-derived soil moisture estimates based on soil texture data.
• Model hydrological processes based on soil characteristics for the conterminous United States.
• Analyze spatial patterns of soil properties for regional environmental studies.
• Support calibration of land surface models using soil texture parameters.

Strengths

• Data is tied to a specific, documented validation experiment (SMAPVEX08).
• Covers the conterminous United States, providing national-scale context.
• Derived from a multi-layer soil characteristics database, suggesting a structured source.

Limitations

• Last updated 2008-10-31 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

NSIDC_CPRD via NASA Earthdata

Collection Method

Extracted from a multi-layer soil characteristics database for the conterminous United States.

Time Range

Representative of conditions during the SMAPVEX08 campaign (2008).

Freshness

Last updated 2008-10-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Conterminous United States, with data generated for specific regional study areas.