Soil properties reference information

Soil impedance & temperature measured with Radio Frequency Soil Moisture Probe

Soil moisture & bulk density measurements

Soil moisture release characteristics

The purpose of the 1989 FIFE soil properties investigation was to obtain a description of the thermal properties of the soils within the FIFE study area. Soil thermal conductivity measurements describe the soil properties which govern the flow of heat through the soil. The thermal conductivity is defined as the quantity of heat that flows through a unit area in a unit time under a unit temperature gradient. These measurements were made using a hot wire probe in situ at two depths at twenty six FIFE sites during October 1987. The measurements were taken using a long electrically heated wire enclosed in a cylindrical probe . The probe is placed in the soil, the wire is heated by running a current through it, and the temperature rise is measured with a thermocouple placed next to the wire. A plot of temperature versus the log of time can be used to derive the thermal conductivity. The results may require a correction factor to account for the dimensions of the probe.

Soil hydraulic properties

The Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Data Set contains soil hydraulic conductivity, matric flux potential, and soil depth data collected during the 1989 FIFE soil properties investigation. The purpose of the 1989 FIFE soil properties investigation was to obtain more points on the soil moisture release curves for the soils at the FIFE stations, and provide values for the saturated hydraulic conductivity for the long-term water balance studies. In-situ measurements of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity were made using the constant well head permeameter method. These measurements were made at five sites, each representing a different soil series. The constant well head method for hydraulic conductivity involves augering a hole to the desired depth and measuring the steady state flow rate of water into the hole while maintaining a constant head of water inside the hole. Six measurements were made at each of the two soil depths at each site. The hydraulic conductivity measurements were made at the same depths and close to (less than 1 m away from) the location where samples for moisture release measurements were taken.

Spectral reflectance of soils, Atlas of Soil Reflectance Properties (Stoner '80)

Soil moisture collected at 25mm, 75mm, and 150mm

This data set contains in situ soil texture data collected with coring devices at several sites as part of the Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2012 (SMAPVEX12).