Publically accessible real-time data will empower all kinds of applied environmental research:

Applic

cation Notes N Subjec ct:

• MetP
• Pak COS
• SMOS Soil
• S Mon

nitoring P Program

Refere

ence

S Soil Mo

onitoring Program

Introdu

uction The Ce entre for Eccology and Hydrologyy (CEH) is establishing g the first UK large area soil moisturre network. The network delivers exciting ne ew data sho owing how ssoil moisturre varies across the countryy with soil type, clima ate and veg getation. COSMOS-U C K (Cosmic–ray soil moisturre monitorin ng network)) stations a also measure the wea ather and oother enviro variable es.

OS-UK hass great pote

ential to tran nsform hydro-meteorological moddelling by providing me data forr assimilatio on and mo odel validattion. Levera aging the nnew techno ology of cosmic–ray soil mo oisture sen nsing makess the meas surements representattive of area as up to 700 m in diametter, which averages the inevita able small-s scale variaability in so oils and vegetattion.

(Natural Enviro

onment Re esearch Co ouncil) fundded as part of the RCUK (Research Council UK K) Capital IInvestment Strategy. This T initiativve is an inn novative pment providing “Big Data” D in supp port of UK businesses . develop

Better water resource information and future outlooks

Improved UK resilience to natural hazards, for example by earlier flood warnings

It could improve water use efficiency in crop production and give better crop yield forecasts.

It will enable a step change in fundamental science, particularly, meteorological predictability associated with soil moisture, better models of greenhouse gas emissions from soils.

COSMOS-UK will allow / open-up other environmental science areas where UK soil moisture data has not been available before, such as applications in ecosystem services.

Example Installation Site

Each COSMOS-UK station is equipped with a range of research-quality meteorological and soil monitoring sensors. Large-area soil moisture (at a spatial scale of approximately 700 m) is provided by the COSMOS probes. Point measurements of soil moisture are also available from two nearsurface TDT (time domain transmissometry) probes and at three depths from a profile probe.

Soil temperature is measured by the near-surface TDT probes and at five depths by a soil temperature profile.

Two soil heat flux plates provide the soil heat flux, an important term in the surface energy balance. Net radiation is calculated from the four components recorded individually (incoming and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation).

An automatic weather station provides the following meteorological variables: wind speed and wind direction, atmospheric pressure, air temperature and relative humidity; and precipitation is measured using a weighing rain gauge.

A phenological camera gives a visual record of the land surface (e.g. state of vegetation, snow cover) and atmospheric visibility. Each station is powered from a battery and solar panel. Data are logged and telemetered to CEH in real-time, where they are processed and made available via the COSMOS-UK web interface.

Detailed soil characterisations arising from a comprehensive calibration programme and standard metadata (land cover, instrument heights, depths and locations) will also be available for each site.

Gill Equipment

Gill Instruments has so far supplied 30 systems between 2014 and 2016. The Gill system comprises MetPak Base Station and a separate WindMaster with up to 20Hz wind measurement capability. A further 8 standard MetPaks were supplied through NERC and Campbell Scientific for trial purposes.

Why Gill?

MetPak and WindMaster are chosen as the base meteorological and wind measurements as they use our proven ultrasonic technology, which provides one of the most accurate ways of measuring wind speed and direction. Our solid-state wind sensors are built with no moving parts and feature an ASA/PC blend or carbon fibre / aluminium exterior, making them well suited to most applications while the MetPak weather stations provide reference quality, compact. multi-parameter capability without compromising any individual measurement.

Originally published as a Gill application note (AN0028).