Activities of the Activities of the International Soil Moisture International Soil Moisture

Working GroupWorking Group

Peter J. van OevelenPeter J. van OevelenInternational GEWEX Project OfficeInternational GEWEX Project Office

GEWEX@GEWEX.ORG

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FrameworkFramework• International Soil Moisture Working GroupInternational Soil Moisture Working Group• GEWEXGEWEX– CEOPCEOP

• Hydrological Applications ProjectHydrological Applications Project– GRPGRP

• LandFluxLandFlux• Space AgenciesSpace Agencies– ESAESA– NASANASA– JAXAJAXA

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Rationale for in-situ networkRationale for in-situ network

International Soil Moisture International Soil Moisture Working GroupWorking Group

• 2005: Started under the IGOS-P IGWCO 2005: Started under the IGOS-P IGWCO (Integrated Global Observing Strategy – (Integrated Global Observing Strategy – Partnership /Integrated Global Water Cycle Partnership /Integrated Global Water Cycle Observations theme)Observations theme)

• March 2006: First Workshop/Meeting, The March 2006: First Workshop/Meeting, The NetherlandsNetherlands

• November 2007: Second Workshop/Meeting, November 2007: Second Workshop/Meeting, ChinaChina

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Original ISMWG ObjectivesOriginal ISMWG Objectives

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Participation and Participation and NeedsNeeds

• Global Global participationparticipation: identify key people and : identify key people and organizations worldwide;organizations worldwide;

• LeadershipLeadership from established programs (in-situ and from established programs (in-situ and satellite);satellite);

• Definition of Definition of achievableachievable goals (in-situ networks, goals (in-situ networks, satellite products);satellite products);

• Identify Identify resourcesresources to enhance in-situ expansion and to enhance in-situ expansion and contributions to satellite/model validation.contributions to satellite/model validation.

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ISMWG CommitmentsISMWG Commitments

• Commits to a global network of in-situ soil Commits to a global network of in-situ soil moisture measurements moisture measurements – Lead international agency: GEWEXLead international agency: GEWEX– Workshops (Bring together key people, establish Workshops (Bring together key people, establish

goals, current activities, standards)goals, current activities, standards)• Noordwijk, ESTEC March 2006: DoneNoordwijk, ESTEC March 2006: Done• Beijing, IAP, November 2007: Done Beijing, IAP, November 2007: Done

– Resources for enhancing unrepresented regions:Resources for enhancing unrepresented regions:• Key area unresolvedKey area unresolved

– Data archival and distribution: Data archival and distribution: • Current Lead: Portuguese Institute of MeteorologyCurrent Lead: Portuguese Institute of Meteorology

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ISMWG Commitments IIISMWG Commitments II

• Commits to developing a quasi-operational soil Commits to developing a quasi-operational soil moisture data productmoisture data product– Quality and relevance of current products: tbdQuality and relevance of current products: tbd– International support for planned dedicated International support for planned dedicated

missions may require commitment by missions missions may require commitment by missions to provide a timely product: GEOto provide a timely product: GEO

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Second ISMWG WorkshopSecond ISMWG Workshop

• Held on November 14 and 15, 2007 at Held on November 14 and 15, 2007 at LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaChina

• 22 Registered Participants and 15 22 Registered Participants and 15 Students and Post-DocsStudents and Post-Docs

• ~20 Presentations~20 Presentations

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Why this workshop in Why this workshop in 2007?2007?

• Build upon First Workshop and increase coordinationBuild upon First Workshop and increase coordination• Review individual activitiesReview individual activities• Identify best practicesIdentify best practices• Set goals for observing system integrationSet goals for observing system integration• Role of in-situ in satellite product validation-specific design Role of in-situ in satellite product validation-specific design

standardsstandards• How do we affect changes to existing protocols, expand How do we affect changes to existing protocols, expand

(especially developing regions of the world), affiliate with a (especially developing regions of the world), affiliate with a group with $$?group with $$?

• Identify the next stepsIdentify the next steps• Report….GEWEX News? Report….GEWEX News? • Initiate Set-up of the Data Hosting CenterInitiate Set-up of the Data Hosting Center

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In-Situ Measurement In-Situ Measurement ProtocolProtocol

• UniformityUniformity• RepresentativeRepresentative• ConsistencyConsistency• (Cross-)Calibration/Validation(Cross-)Calibration/Validation

– Site specific calibration: Site specific calibration: absolutelyabsolutely– Temperature: Temperature: pref. At each depth and for each sensorpref. At each depth and for each sensor– Soil Texture & Bulkdensity: Soil Texture & Bulkdensity: neededneeded

• Relationship with gravimetric soil moisture Relationship with gravimetric soil moisture is is standardstandard

• Careful automationCareful automation• Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance

• UniformityUniformity• RepresentativeRepresentative• ConsistencyConsistency• (Cross-)Calibration/Validation(Cross-)Calibration/Validation

– Site specific calibration: Site specific calibration: absolutelyabsolutely– Temperature: Temperature: pref. At each depth and for each sensorpref. At each depth and for each sensor– Soil Texture & Bulkdensity: Soil Texture & Bulkdensity: neededneeded

• Relationship with gravimetric soil moisture Relationship with gravimetric soil moisture is is standardstandard

• Careful automationCareful automation• Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance

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In-Situ Measurement Protocol In-Situ Measurement Protocol (2)(2)

• Density/depth/number of sensorsDensity/depth/number of sensors– 5, 20 and 50 cm below surface5, 20 and 50 cm below surface

• Units of representationUnits of representation– Volumetric or fractional between 0 and 1Volumetric or fractional between 0 and 1

• Soil Moisture DefinitionSoil Moisture Definition• Soil texture description & Soil texture description & soil hydraulic soil hydraulic

propertiesproperties– Which metadataWhich metadata??

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Network DesignNetwork Design

• DensityDensity• ContinuityContinuity• Data delivery/in-take, distribution & Data delivery/in-take, distribution &

archiving (see next)archiving (see next)• Metadata (see next)Metadata (see next)• Capacity BuildingCapacity Building– TrainingTraining– Involvement LDC'sInvolvement LDC's

• Linking Existing Networks (see next)Linking Existing Networks (see next)

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Data HostingData Hosting

• Data delivery/in-take, distribution & Data delivery/in-take, distribution & archivingarchiving

• MetadataMetadata• Linking Existing NetworksLinking Existing Networks• ESA to support data hosting activity ESA to support data hosting activity

within framework of SMOS Cal/Val within framework of SMOS Cal/Val activitiesactivities

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ISMWG Meeting 2007ISMWG Meeting 2007

• As with the first meeting Spirit was As with the first meeting Spirit was very cooperative!very cooperative!

• Openness and willingness to different Openness and willingness to different views and opinionsviews and opinions

• Deemed very useful and worth Deemed very useful and worth keeping the momentumkeeping the momentum

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Topics for ConsiderationTopics for Consideration

• How to stimulate contribution of data to How to stimulate contribution of data to data hosting center?data hosting center?– Rationale, all the reasons there are to not sit Rationale, all the reasons there are to not sit

on your data but share…on your data but share…

• How and who will get access to what?How and who will get access to what?• A team is needed to start looking at A team is needed to start looking at

instruments (intercomparison etc.) instruments (intercomparison etc.) • Support for data hosting continuation Support for data hosting continuation

(SMOS and beyond) (SMOS and beyond) • What else do we NEED to do?What else do we NEED to do?

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Past Critical Issues Past Critical Issues

• Data from outside of North-America and Data from outside of North-America and EuropeEurope

• Loss of momentum with delay of SMOS launchLoss of momentum with delay of SMOS launch• Separation of communities (both US vs Europe Separation of communities (both US vs Europe

as well as agricultural vs hydrological)as well as agricultural vs hydrological)• Links to GEO and GEOSS (currently one of the Links to GEO and GEOSS (currently one of the

water subtasks)water subtasks)

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ISMWG FutureISMWG Future

• The Proposed New Structure and Embedding within The Proposed New Structure and Embedding within GEWEXGEWEX

• The embedding of the ISMWG in the GEWEX Radiation The embedding of the ISMWG in the GEWEX Radiation Panel (GRP) requires a few changes in the so far loose Panel (GRP) requires a few changes in the so far loose structure. Proposed is a three tier system which is structure. Proposed is a three tier system which is guided by a board consisting of the (co-)chairs of each guided by a board consisting of the (co-)chairs of each of the tiers plus ex-officio members.of the tiers plus ex-officio members.

• Consistent with other GRP activitiesConsistent with other GRP activities

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Tier 1: Validation: Tier 1: Validation:

• Development of Global In-Situ Soil Moisture Development of Global In-Situ Soil Moisture network and data sets to support validation of network and data sets to support validation of satellite soil moisture retrieval and satellite soil moisture retrieval and assimilationassimilation– Data Hosting, Measurement ProtocolsData Hosting, Measurement Protocols

• Validation of Satellite Soil Moisture Products Validation of Satellite Soil Moisture Products and Soil Moisture Intercomparison Projectsand Soil Moisture Intercomparison Projects– Links all three tiersLinks all three tiers

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Tier 2: AssimilationTier 2: Assimilation

• The assimilation of soil moisture and satellite The assimilation of soil moisture and satellite data (both active and passive ) into numerical data (both active and passive ) into numerical weather prediction and hydrological modeling weather prediction and hydrological modeling for both forecasting as well as process studies.for both forecasting as well as process studies.– Important to show usefulnessImportant to show usefulness– Expand to yield forecasting Expand to yield forecasting

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Tier 3: Product fusion and Tier 3: Product fusion and mergingmerging

• Development of long term consistent global Development of long term consistent global soil moisture products (and their derivatives)soil moisture products (and their derivatives)– Combining various sources of data (PM, AM, In-Combining various sources of data (PM, AM, In-

Situ)Situ)– Climate/Trend research robustClimate/Trend research robust

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Key Activities 2009Key Activities 2009

• ISMWG Custodian Soil Moisture Network in GTN-HISMWG Custodian Soil Moisture Network in GTN-H

• Workshops: Next (3Workshops: Next (3rdrd)Workshop, Lisboa, Portugal (March 10, 11 )Workshop, Lisboa, Portugal (March 10, 11 2009)2009)

• Website: Website: http://gewex.org/ismwg_3rdmeeting.html

• Data Hosting Center kick-offData Hosting Center kick-off

• Link/interact/alignment with other relevant activities such as by Link/interact/alignment with other relevant activities such as by NOAANOAA

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