ISMN is pleased to announce a significant update following the successful re-implementation of data from the SCAN and SNOTEL networks. This update enhances data consistency, expands observation coverage, and ensures regular near-real-time (NRT) updates for all active stations in these networks. Soil moisture data from these networks has increased by approximately 23 million data points, equivalent to an addition of 2,630 years of hourly soil moisture observations (or an average increase of 3.5 years of hourly soil moisture observations per station).

Key Improvements:

• SNOTEL Network: The number of stations has increased by 50, resulting in a 35% increase in soil moisture observation points.
• SCAN Network: The number of stations has decreased by 17, leading to an approximately 10% reduction in soil moisture observation points.
• Enhanced Data Updates: Previously, a significant portion of SCAN and SNOTEL stations were not updated in near-real-time (NRT). This issue has now been resolved, ensuring regular and timely NRT updates for all active stations.

Furthermore, sensor change information has been integrated into the reprocessed dataset. This allows users to accurately identify distinct soil moisture time series. Information on sensor changes or reinstallations is crucial, as these modifications can influence measurement characteristics. Factors such as soil compaction during sensor reinstallation, small-scale variations in soil properties due to a shift in measurement locations, or a change in sensor type can affect key statistical properties, including mean values and variance.

The updated datasets are now available for download via the ISMN data portal. We encourage users to explore these improved datasets and integrate them into their research and applications.

We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience this major data update may cause.

For any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us.

The ISMN Team