SMEX04: In Situ Radiometer Soil Moisture Data

SMEX04 Multispectral Radiometer Data comprises in situ spectral measurements collected during the Soil Moisture Experiment 2004 in southern Arizona, USA. The data set includes multispectral radiometer readings, which likely contain land surface reflectance information. It is hosted by NASA and appears on multiple platforms, indicating its established use in the hydrology and earth science communities.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-derived soil moisture estimates based on in situ radiometer readings.
• Analyzing land surface reflectance properties for hydrological modeling.
• Studying temporal patterns of soil moisture in a semi-arid region during the SMEX04 campaign.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled NASA field experiment (Soil Moisture Experiment 2004).
• Presence on multiple data platforms suggests peer-reviewed importance and reusability.

Limitations

• Documentation was provided solely by the Principal Investigator and not reviewed by NSIDC, indicating potential support gaps.
• Column names and dataset size (rows, file size) are unspecified across all sources.
• Source platforms conflict on the last updated date (2004 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

In situ data collection using Multispectral Radiometer (MSR) instruments.

Time Range

2004

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: one source lists 2004-08-25, another lists 2026-04-09.

Geography

Soil Moisture Experiment 2004 (SMEX04) area, southern Arizona, USA