[GLOBE logo] GLOBE links to
NASA/JPL Mars Polar Lander mission [NASA logo]

NASA/JPL/Caltech Mars Polar Lander

TEACHERS! Now is a great time to think about the GLOBE soil moisture and temperature investigation. WHY? Not only have we completed a 12 month pilot test using data loggers to monitor hourly soil and air temperature (see: www.hwr.arizona.edu/globe/pilot/2000stdat.html) but, with a little luck, NASA/JPL will soon be measuring soil moisture and temperature on MARS (see: marslander.jpl.nasa.gov)!

The MARS POLAR LANDER is scheduled to land on Dec. 3, 1999 and MARS data should be available within a week or two. Here are some other links to the soil moisture and temperature components of the Mars Volatiles and Climate Surveyor (MVACS) mission:

Regardless of whether you are making manual near-surface measurements or meter/logger measurements at depth, your students can get excited about comparing their measurements to those on Mars.

If you don't have any soil temperature or moisture measuring equipment, look for data in the GLOBE data archive close to your site.

Here are some questions to ask yourself and your students (both before and after the landing):

  1. Is Mars warmer or cooler than your site? Why?
  2. What is the significance of finding soil moisture on Mars? How does it compare with your dry-season moistures?
  3. How close to the GLOBE protocol is the NASA/JPL protocol? What is the most significant difference?
  4. What will the diurnal cycle of soil temperature look like?
  5. How does your soil differ from Martian soil?

Contact me if you have any questions: jwash@hwr.arizona.edu

Another good reason to start thinking about the GLOBE soil temperature investigation is because of a new pilot study using data loggers.

ANNOUNCING: NEW SOIL TEMPERATURE PILOT PROGRAM

Requirements:
UA/GLOBE Home; Last updated: 11/29/99, Comments? jwash@hwr.arizona.edu ~