Technician Support for Real-Time Hydrologic Sensor Systems within the Penn State Experimental Forest

0418798 ReedSupport从这个奖项将建立一个新的信息系统技术员的位置，以支持宾夕法尼亚州立大学环境研究所（PSIE）的实时水文监测网络（RTH_Net）。RTH_Net是该大学实验森林内的一个现场设施，支持研究和教育，重点是大气，陆地和水文过程之间的相互作用。RTH_Net将通过长期部署和维护集成传感器系统的实时网络来支持这些努力，该网络旨在增强宾夕法尼亚州立大学实验森林内现有的实验基础设施。 RTH_Net将整合宾州州立森林内现有但不同的观测系统，使地表、地下水和大气数据流连贯一致，并保持真实的时间。部署和集成传统的气象站技术与土壤水分/压力阵列，地下水位和流阶段传感器将允许一个更连贯的方法来估计临界通量和反馈在山坡，分水岭，流域尺度。该网络将在改进极端事件（洪水、干旱）以及季节性和年际水资源动态的预测模型方面发挥根本作用。该设施将现代化和扩大目前的研究基础设施在宾夕法尼亚州立大学实验森林。信息系统技术员将部署物理传感器系统，维护互联网可访问性（即，IP连接），并管理无线或固定通信网络。该技术员职位将通过管理现场和非现场档案，帮助确保RTH_Net的可靠数据访问和存储。 技术人员将使用专门的软件管理基于互联网的出版物，使RTH_Net的数据集能够被研究人员和学生轻松查询，分析和可视化。 这些系统将提供给PSIE内对水资源有研究兴趣的30多名教职员工。RTH_Net将支持大学一级的长期努力，开发工具，以更全面的方法实时监测水资源。

0418798ReedSupport form this award will establish a new Information Systems Technician position in support of the Penn State Institutes of the Environment's (PSIE) Real-Time Hydrologic Monitoring Network (RTH_Net). RTH_Net is a field facility within the university's experimental forest supporting research and education focusing on the interaction among atmospheric, terrestrial, and hydrologic processes. RTH_Net will support these efforts through the long-term deployment and maintenance of a real-time network of integrated sensor systems designed to augment the existing experimental infrastructure within the Penn State Experimental Forest. RTH_Net will integrate the existing but disparate observing systems within the Penn State Forest such that surface, groundwater and atmospheric data streams are coherent and in real time. Deployment and integration of traditional weather station technology with soil moisture/pressure arrays, groundwater level and stream stage sensors will allow a more coherent approach to the estimation of critical fluxes and feedbacks at the hillslope, watershed, and river basin scales. The network will play a fundamental role in improving forecast models of extreme events (flood, drought) as well as seasonal and interannual water resource dynamics. The facility will modernize and expand the current research infrastructure within the Penn State Experimental Forest. The Information Systems Technician will deploy physical sensor systems, maintain internet accessibility (i.e., IP connectivity) for the sensor data, and manage wireless or landline communication networks. The technician position will help ensure reliable data access and storage for RTH_Net through the management of combined onsite and offsite archives. The technician will manage internet-based publication using specialized software that will enable RTH_Net's datasets to be easily queried, analyzed, and visualized by researchers and students. These systems will be made accessible to the more than 30 faculty members within PSIE that have research interests in water resources. RTH_Net will support a long-term university-level effort to develop tools for a more holistic approach to real-time monitoring of water resources.***