FIFE: Soil Thermal Conductivity Measurements at 26 Sites

NASA's 1989 FIFE soil properties investigation collected in-situ thermal conductivity measurements to describe heat flow through soil. Data were gathered using a hot wire probe at two depths across 26 sites in the FIFE study area during October 1987. The dataset provides the soil properties governing heat transfer, derived from temperature rise over time, and may require probe-specific correction factors.

Use Cases

• Modeling soil heat flux for land surface models based on thermal conductivity measurements.
• Calibrating remote sensing data for soil moisture estimation using in-situ thermal property data.
• Analyzing spatial variability of soil thermal properties across a study area from 26 site samples.
• Validating theoretical heat transfer models in porous media using empirical probe-derived data.

Strengths

• Measurements were taken in situ at two depths, providing vertical profile information.
• Data collection covers 26 distinct sites, offering spatial coverage within the FIFE area.
• Methodology is explicitly described, using a standardized hot wire probe technique.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all platforms.
• The last updated date conflicts between sources (1987 vs. 2026), casting doubt on metadata maintenance.
• Documentation gaps exist; the exact data structure and required correction factors are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

In-situ measurements using a cylindrical hot wire probe with a thermocouple.

Time Range

October 1987

Freshness

1987-10-18 23:59:59.999000

Geography

FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) study area