FIFE Soil Moisture Gravimetric Field Measurements

Soil moisture gravimetric data were collected from multiple stations across the FIFE study area. The dataset was created by NASA to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of soil water content, validate remote sensing measurements, and evaluate ground and aerial measurement methods. Data collection concluded in 1989, with metadata last updated in 2026.

Use Cases

• Validating and calibrating remote sensing measurements of soil water content using ground-truth gravimetric data.
• Analyzing spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture across a field study area.
• Evaluating alternative methods for measuring soil moisture from the air and on the ground.
• Developing techniques for comparing point measurements with spatially continuous soil moisture estimates.

Strengths

• Data originates from NASA, a leading authority in earth science research.
• Designed to support multiple FIFE investigations, indicating a structured scientific purpose.
• Collection aimed at characterizing both spatial and temporal patterns, providing two-dimensional analysis.

Limitations

• Core dataset facts like row count, column names, and exact size are unavailable from all sources.
• There is a conflict in reported dates: the data collection period ended in 1989, but metadata shows a last update of 2026.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Gravimetric measurements collected from many ground stations spread over the FIFE study area.

Time Range

Data collection concluded by 1989-10-31.

Freshness

2026-03-12 21:15:25.852653

Geography

FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) study area.