PBO H2O

We are exploring the potential of the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO)  GPS network for water cycle studies.  The GPS site in Randolph, Utah (p101) is representative of our work. It is located at an elevation of 2016 m. The photos below show site p101 when vegetation has high water content (June), low water content (October), and during the snow season (January).

NEW: Daily snow depth results for the Rocky Mountains

 
We are also working on extracting soil moisture variations from PBO data. Validation of our water cycle products is ongoing. To read some of our publications on reflections, click here.Pubs.htmlhttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0

June

October

We use changes in multipath frequencies to estimate changes in snow depth.

January

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We use changes in multipath scatter to estimate changes in vegetation water content.  Here we compare GPS scatter (blue) with a 16-day optical remote sensing measure, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (green).

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Recent Results

Archived snow results

Daily snow depth results (beta version)

GPS tide gauge results from Washington State.

Recent snow results from Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.

NDVI

 

Highlights

EarthScope Science Plan

2010 EarthScope newsletter

2011 EarthScope newsletter (page 2, Earthscope Annual Meeting).

Geodesy Grand Challenges (in review)


PBO-H2O Partners


We are very interested in developing partnerships with GPS networks around the world to develop water cycle products from GPS data.  We are currently working with:


  -NGS and the Minnesota Department of Transportation


Please contact Kristine Larson if you are interested in becoming a PBO-H2O partner.