This is the sixth newsletter of the International Soil Moisture Network. Through periodic newsletters we would like to inform you about recent updates of existing data sets, new networks and related news items such as cooperations and publications. For the latest news we also refer to the news section on our website
[https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en//news].
MAQU
The 20 stations of the MAQU network are located at the Eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau in Central China at an altitude of more than 3000 m .a.s.l. This makes the network very interesting for studying soil moisture dynamics in high altitude and cold regions. The stations are operated by University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), and the Chinese Academy of Science - Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAS-CAREERI). Current data availability is from July 2008 until July 2010. The datasets were kindly provided by Laura Dente and Bob Su from the ITC and J. Wen of the CAS.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/MAQU/ ].
IIT KANPUR
We are happy to welcome the first network from South Asia! The single station network managed by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur provides of soil moisture data of 4 different depths. It started operation only very recently. The data sets currently contained in the ISMN span the period June-October 2011. The data were kindly provided by Pankaj Kumar Rai and Shivam Tripathi of ITT Kanpur.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/IIT_KANPUR/ ].
HYDROL-NET_PERUGIA
This 1-station network near the city of Perugia, Central Italy, is operated by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Perugia since the beginning of 2010. The station called WEEF (Water Engineering Experimental Field) provides measurements of soil moisture at 4 different depths, soil temperature at 2 depths, precipitation, and air temperature. The data sets were kindly provided by Alessia Flammini and Renato Morbidelli.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/HXDROL-NET_PERUGIA/].
COSMOS
This network currently consists of 56 stations spread over 6 countries (mainly USA) and is expected to grow considerably within the next two years. The datasets are updated in ISMN on a daily basis. Measurements of soil moisture are being employed since mid 2009 within the COSMOS Project lead by the University of Arizona. The innovative and non invasive measurement concept is based on the interaction between the incoming cosmic-rays and the atmospheric particles, producing cascades of cosmic protons and fast neutrons. After interacting with the soil, some of the particles escape back into the air and are counted by a neutron detector. The amount of fast neutrons detected is inversely related to soil water content. One of the most striking differences between this methodology and more conventional techniques is the effective sampled area (diameter of several hectometers) and the depth interval represented by the measurement (up to several decimeters), which vary with soil water content. Thus, measurements represent an intermediate level of spatial representativeness between in-situ contact probes and satellite observations. The data were kindly shared with the ISMN by Marek Zreda.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/COSMOS/].
SCAN
The Soil Climate Analysis Network contains 187 stations, mainly over the US (including stations in Alaska and Hawaii), but also in Puerto Rico and even one on Antartica. Apart from soil moisture and soil temperature, precipitation and air temperature are measured at most of the stations. Some stations also perform measurements of snow depth and snow water equivalent. The measuring depths for soil moiosture differ from 0.02 to 2 m, usually split up over 5 different depth intervals. Almost 150 stations are updated automatically on daily basis. The network is operated by the USDA NRCS National Water and Climate Center with assistance from the USDA NRCS National Soil Survey Center. We would like thank Garry Schaeffer, Michael Strobel, Maggie Dunklie (all USDA NRCS), and Michael Cosh and Robert Parry (USDA-ARS) for their assistance with the near-real time implementation.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/SCAN].
Updates
SMOSMANIA
All datasets (21 stations, each measuring at 4 depths) of the French "SMOSMANIA" network have been updated until 31 December 2010.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/SMOSMANIA/ ].
CNR-IRPI
The name of this network of Central Italy has been changed to the name of 'UMBRIA' and stocked up with additional sites. Now, it is operated by the Civil Protection Functional Centre together with the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (CNR), and consists of the 4 stations from the old 'CNR-IRPI' network and 3 new stations. Another 12 stations are foreseen to be added before the end of the year. The 3 new stations have a data availability from 2009-11-01 to now, providing measurements of soil moisture at 3 different depths, precipitation and air temperature. The data sets were kindly provided by Nicola Berni and Luca Brocca.
More information about this network is found at [https://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/en/sites/networks/CNR-IRPI/ ].