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Title: TOWARDS INTEGRATED GLOBAL SOIL MOISTURE OBSERVATIONS

Author
item Jackson, Thomas
item ENTEKHABI, D. - MIT
item VAN OEVELEN, P. - EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
item KERR, Y. - CNES/CESBIO

Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2005
Publication Date: 10/1/2005
Citation: Jackson, T.J., Entekabi, D., van Oevelen, P., Kerr, Y. 2005. Towards intergrated global soil moisture observation. Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) News. 15(3):8-9.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil moisture observations are critical for understanding the global water and energy cycles, for predicting precipitation, and for developing the information that supports water resourse decision-makers. Surface soil moisture is a determinant of the partitioning of surface precipitation into infiltration and runoff. Based on theory and experiments to date there is a general agreement that improvements in our understanding of the ware cycle and our ability to predict short-term events (hydrometeorolgy) and long-term patterns (seasonal) is dependent on developing an integrated global soil moisture observing system. Improving these global observations is needed on a priority basis. To obtain improved soil moisture information, it will be necessary to enhance both in situ observing systems and satellite data. This will involve network enahncement by expansion and standardization, dedicated soil moisture missions, and improved coordination of soil moisture data network planning, observing standards, and data exchange. Some support for this exists under the emerging IGOS-P and GEOSS programs. Key to the growth of these efforts is the recognition by the agencies that soil moisture is as on emerging climate variable, finding a sponsoring agency that will commit to a global network of in-situ soil moisture measurements, and commentments by space agencies to developing a quasi-operational soil moisture data product.