H13C-1128:
Recent Enhancements in the North American Soil Moisture Database (NASMD)
Monday, 15 December 2014
Nohemi Chavez1, Jose Galvan III1, Steven M Quiring2 and Trent Ford3, (1)Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, United States, (2)Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States, (3)Texas A&M University, Geography, College Station, TX, United States
Abstract:
The North American Soil Moisture Database (soilmoisture.tamu.edu) is a high-quality observational soil moisture database that contains data from >1800 stations. In the last year we have enhanced the database by identifying sites in Mexico and expanding the database to also include soil temperature data. Here we provide an overview of how the in situ soil moisture and soil temperature observations are assembled, quality controlled and harmonized prior to being incorporated in the NASMD. The database is designed to facilitate observationally-driven investigations of land-atmosphere interactions, validation of the accuracy of soil moisture simulations in global land surface models, satellite calibration/validation for SMOS and SMAP, and an improved understanding of how soil moisture influences climate on seasonal to interannual timescales. This paper provides some examples of how the NASMD has been utilized to enhance understanding of land-atmosphere interactions in the U.S. Great Plains.
