The Global dataset of soil hydraulic and thermal parameters from NASA EarthData provides median estimates derived from multiple pedotransfer functions (PTFs). It includes parameters for the Clapp and Hornberger Functions and thermal dynamic equations at a 30 arc-second resolution. The data captures vertical variation through eight soil layers down to a depth of 2.3 meters.
Use Cases
- Calibrating soil moisture and heat transfer modules in land surface models based on the provided hydraulic and thermal parameters.
- Analyzing global soil property variations for climate impact studies based on the eight-layer vertical profile.
- Comparing outputs from different pedotransfer function (PTF) methodologies using the median estimates provided.
- Initializing soil state variables in regional or global Earth system simulations based on the 30 arc-second resolution data.
Strengths
- Provides median estimates from multiple pedotransfer functions, which may reduce bias from any single method.
- Captures vertical soil property variation through eight distinct layers down to 2.3 meters.
- Global coverage at a 30 arc-second spatial resolution.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA EarthData, organization SCIOPS
- Collection Method
- Derived from multi-PTF (pedotransfer function) estimation.
- Time Range
- null
- Freshness
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
- Geography
- Global