Instrument : Surface Meteorological Observation System Instruments for SGP (SMOS)

Instrument Categories
Surface Meteorology

Picture of the Surface Meteorological Observation System (SMOS)
Picture of the Surface Meteorological Observation System (SMOS)

General Overview

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.

Output 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

Primary Measurements

The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant.

Locations

  • 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)

Contact(s)

Michael Ritsche
(630) 252-1554
mtritsche@anl.gov

Jenni Prell
associate
815-347-6969
jprell@anl.gov

Nicki Hickmon
associate
(630) 252-7662
nhickmon@anl.gov