Location of the forest sites (red) and cropland fields (blue) where access for sampling was granted. Fields where the AAFC long term in situ stations are installed are identified in orange.|

There is hardly a cloud in sight anywhere as PALS takes off. The soil moisture sampling crews are out. To get an update on the status of the data acquisitions (PALS and ground data) you can go to the SMAPVEX12 web page and click on "status of aircraft observations and field sampling".

Mariko and her team have sent in some beautiful photos of the forest sites. So here they are.

The forest sites are marked in red on the image at right, numbered F1 to F5 starting from the top. The sites fall along one of the low-altitude PALS/Twin Otter flight lines. In the photo captions F2 S1 refers to forest site 2 sampling location 1, etc.

[photo source: Mariko Burgin]

F2 S1: Mariko at easternmost point. Very clay-rich soil in marshy vegetation (6/7/2012).

Kaighin with the best soil extraction of the day.

F1 S1 Vanessa at center of transect: Core sampling + leaf litter / organic soil sample extraction (6/7/2012).

F2 S1 center of transect: Core sampling + leaf litter / organic soil sample extraction (6/7/2012).

Happiness is field sampling.

F2 S1 Kaighin and Parag, hard labor? (6/7/2012).

Pasture just outside F2 has to be crossed to enter the site. Approximate distance from car to entrance of site is about 300 meters (Day 1: 6/7/2012).

F3 (6/11/2012).

F3 (6/11/2012).

F3 Protective gear and instructions (6/11/2012.

F3 (6/11/2012).

F3 Team ready for action! (6/12/2012).

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