Surface Meteorological Observation System Instruments for SGP (SMOS)
Instrument Categories: Surface Meteorology
General Overview
![Picture of the Surface Meteorological Observation System (SMOS)](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090826150940im_/http://www.arm.gov/instruments/images/smos.jpg)
The Surface Meteorological Observation System (SMOS) mostly uses conventional in situ sensors to obtain 1-minute, 30-minute, and 1440-minute (daily) averages of surface wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity (RH), barometric pressure, and precipitation at the Central Facility and many of the extended facilities of the Southern Great Plains (SGP) climate research site. The SMOSs are not calibrated as systems. The sensors and the data logger (which includes the analog-to-digital converter, or A/D) are calibrated separately. All systems are installed using components that have a current calibration. SMOSs have not been installed at extended facilities located within about 10 km of existing surface meteorological stations, such as those of the Oklahoma Mesonet.
The Surface Meteorological Observation Systems are used to create climatology for each particular location, and to verify the output of numerical weather forecast and other model output. They are also used to "ground-truth" other remote sensing equipment.
Primary Measurements Taken
The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant. Refer to the netCDF File Header Descriptions (Data Object Design Files) for the list of all available measurements, including those recorded for diagnostic or quality assurance purposes.
- Atmospheric moisture
- Atmospheric pressure
- Atmospheric temperature
- Atmospheric turbulence
- Extreme event time
- Horizontal wind
- Precipitation
Available Datastreams
- 1440smos - Surface Met Observation Station (SMOS): daily minimum/maximum data, with times
- 1smos - Surface Meteorological Observation Station (SMOS): 1-minute averaged data
- 30smos - Surface Meteorological Observation Station (SMOS): 30-min averaged data
Sites / Facilities
Note: Click the "" to expand/collapse the list.
- Southern Great Plains (SGP)
- Ashton, KS (E9)
- Augusta, KS (A3)
- Beaumont, KS (ABLE) (A2)
- Byron, OK (E11)
- Coldwater, KS (E8)
- Cyril, OK (E24)
- Earlsboro, OK (E27)
- Elk Falls, KS (E7)
- Halstead, KS (E5)
- Lamont, OK (Extended) (E13)
- Larned, KS (E1)
- LeRoy, KS (E3)
- Meeker, OK (Extended) (E20)
- Okmulgee, OK (E21)
- Oxford, KS (A5)
- Plevna, KS (E4)
- Ringwood, OK (E15)
- Seminole, OK (E25)
- Smileyberg, KS (A4)
- Towanda, KS (E6)
- Whitewater, KS (A1)
Mentor(s)
Michael Ritsche
(630) 252-1554
mtritsche@anl.gov