MSI: The COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Observing System (COSMOS)

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。理由：土壤水对天气，气候，生态系统和水循环起着至关重要的控制作用，因此对大气科学和相关学科的许多领域至关重要。土壤湿度测量中的一个严重障碍是，使用接触法进行的有限点测量与没有厚厚植被覆盖的大面积（100平方公里至2500平方公里）遥感估计之间不匹配。这项研究的目的是通过使用一种新型的非接触式技术来填补这一空白，该技术能够测量34公顷（半径为330米的圆圈）和深度达50厘米的平均土壤含水量。该方法涉及测量地面以上的低能宇宙射线中子，其强度与土壤含水量和地面以上任何形式的水呈负相关（注：地下水和地表沃茨的贡献是可以区分的）。这台仪器被称为“宇宙射线水分探测器”，是全新的，但它是建立在现有技术的基础上，以创新的方式组合在一起。将部署50个探测器，以确定和纠正与仪器的日常实地使用有关的任何残余技术问题;确定和纠正任何数据收集、处理和分发问题;并更好地了解探测器对不同地形和植被的反应。 根据该试点项目的成功，主要研究者（PI）计划部署额外的450个探头。 最终目标是建立一个COSMOS设施网络，在部署后将无限期地继续运行，可能在政府机构的支持下，以持续提供数据。大多数探测器将安装在现有设施中，这将简化后勤工作，使探测器安全，并促进长期操作和维护。以下数据将在互联网上以近实时的方式提供给所有人：两个能带（快，1 keV;和热，0.5 eV）的中子计数，土壤含水量，积雪水当量（可能还有植被水当量），温度，压力和相对湿度。该设施和数据可用于以下研究：地方和中尺度气象过程和现象、天气预报和月度至季度气候展望、陆地-大气相互作用、气候/干旱监测、植被动态和碳循环、遥感验证、灌溉工程、空间和宇宙射线物理学以及跨学科水研究。来自新网络的连续数据流将产生大气科学以外的广泛影响。例如，与以下方面的相关性：对陆地-大气相互作用感兴趣的水文气象学家，对土壤水和冰冻降水对生态状况和演变的影响感兴趣的生态学家，对土壤水分校准和验证感兴趣的遥感科学家，地表水和地下水建模者，对理解和预测土壤水分与作物产量之间的关系感兴趣的农业科学家，以及对关键地带（植被顶部和地下水底部之间）的过程感兴趣的地球科学家。该项目具有很强的教育潜力，包括培训科学家和工程师使用宇宙射线相关技术和方法，向大气科学学生讲授近地表水可用性对天气和气候的影响。该项目产生的数据将在互联网上提供，项目结果将在会议上发表，在期刊上发表，并在互联网上发布。美国工业将受益于在制造这种新技术方面发挥领导作用，这种新技术肯定会传播到其他国家，因为他们建立了自己的COSMOS网络。同样，美国科学将通过提供世界级和前所未有的实地数据在这一重要领域发挥领导作用而受益。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Rationale: Soil water exerts a critical control on weather, climate, ecosystem, and water cycle, and hence is crucial for many fields within atmospheric sciences and related disciplines. A serious handicap in soil moisture measurements is the mismatch between limited point measurements using contact methods and remote sensing estimates over large areas (100 km2 - 2500 km2) without thick vegetation cover. The purpose of this research is to fill this gap by using a novel, non-contact technique capable of measuring average soil water content over a footprint of 34 hectares (a circle with a radius of 330 m) and depths up to 50 cm. The method involves measuring low-energy cosmic-ray neutrons above the ground, whose intensity is inversely correlated with soil water content and with water in any form above ground level (Note: the contributions from subsurface and surface waters are distinguishable). The instrument, called a "cosmic-ray moisture probe," is brand new, but it is built on existing technologies that are put together in an innovative way. Fifty probes will be deployed to identify and rectify any remnant technical issues associated with routine field use of the instrument; to identify and rectify any data collection, processing and distribution issues; and to better understand probe responses over different terrains and vegetations. Depending on the success of this pilot project, a proposal to deploy an additional 450 probes is planned by the Principal Investigators (PIs). The ultimate goal is a COSMOS facility-network that will continue operating indefinitely after deployment, perhaps under the auspices of a government agency, to provide data on a continuing basis.Most probes will be installed in existing facilities, which will simplify the logistics, make the probes secure, and facilitate long-term operations and maintenance. The following data will be available to all in near-real time over the internet: neutron counts in two energy bands (fast, 1 keV; and thermal, 0.5 eV), soil water content, snow pack water equivalent (and possibly also vegetation water equivalent), temperature, pressure and relative humidity. The facility and the data can be used in research that involves: local and mesoscale meteorological processes and phenomena, weather forecasting and monthly to seasonal climate outlook, land-atmosphere interactions, climate/drought monitoring, vegetation dynamics and carbon cycle, remote sensing validation, irrigation engineering, space and cosmic-ray physics, and interdisciplinary water studies. Broader Impacts The continuous data streams from the new network will have broad impacts beyond the atmospheric sciences. For example, relevance to: hydro meteorologists interested in land-atmosphere interactions, ecologists interested in the impact of soil water and frozen precipitation on ecological status and evolution, remote sensing scientists for soil moisture calibration and validation, surface-water and groundwater modelers, agricultural scientists interested in understanding and predicting the relationship between soil moisture and crop yield, and geoscientists interested in processes in the critical zone (between vegetation top and the bottom of ground water). This project has a strong education potential, including training scientists and engineers in the use of cosmic ray related techniques and methods, teaching students of atmospheric science the effects of near-surface water availability on weather and climate.The data generated in the project will be available on the internet, and project results will be presented at conferences, published in journals, and posted on the internet. American industry will benefit by taking a leadership role in the manufacturing of this new technology that will surely spread to other countries as they set up their own COSMOS networks. Likewise, American science will benefit by providing the leadership in this important area through delivering world-class and unprecedented field data.