SMEX02 Soil Moisture, Temperature, and Rainfall Profiles from Iowa

NASA's Soil Moisture Experiment 2002 (SMEX02) dataset provides field measurements of rainfall, soil moisture, and soil temperature from Walnut Creek, Iowa. The data supports research into land-atmosphere interactions and satellite soil moisture validation. Multiple platforms host this dataset, indicating its established role in earth science.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-derived soil moisture estimates using in-situ soil moisture measurements.
• Analyzing the relationship between rainfall events and near-surface soil moisture dynamics.
• Modeling soil temperature profiles and their variation with depth and time.
• Studying land surface hydrology and energy balance during a focused summer field campaign.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled NASA field experiment (SMEX02), ensuring a focused scientific collection.
• Measures multiple interrelated variables: rainfall, soil moisture, and soil temperature at depth.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided on any platform.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist: NASA Earthdata lists 2002-07-23, while Data.gov lists 2026-03-12, suggesting possible metadata errors.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected for the Soil Moisture Experiment 2002 (SMEX02) field campaign.

Time Range

2002

Freshness

2002-07-23 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Walnut Creek, Iowa, United States