SGP/SWATS/E4 - Incorrect soil moisture data

The temperature rise readings on both the east and west profiles are too high.  This also 
causes the matric potential and water content data to be incorrect.

For the first, third and fourth date ranges, measurements are incorrect for all sensor 
locations (each depth on both profiles).

For the second date range, measurements are incorrect for the lowest 8 sensor locations 
(the 60cm, 85cm, 125cm, and 175cm depths on both profiles).

• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)

SGP/SWATS/E18 - Incorrect depth dimension

No sensors are installed at the 85cm, 125cm, and 175cm depths. All associated variables 
should be reported as "-9999".  Ignore spurious measurements.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)

SGP/SWATS/E18 - Sensor failure, 5cm W

The sensor at the 5-cm depth on the West profile reported incorrect temperature rise 
values after the instrument was restarted on June 7, 2003.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)

SGP/SWATS/E18 - Intermittent data

There is an erroneous measurement at 2052Z on the 11th. All obs should be disregarded and 
probably should be deleted from the file.

tsoil_W:
From 1007Z on the 7th to 1707Z on the 9th: tsoil_W data is missing or incorrect at the 5cm 
depth. From 1807 on the 9th to 1807 on the 10th, tsoil_W is completely missing and/or 
incorrect. From 1907 on the 10th to 2007 on the 11th, correct tsoil_W data is available 
except for missing data at the 15cm depth.

trise_W:
All trise_W data is incorrect or missing from 1007Z on the 7th to 1807Z on the 10th. From 
1907 on the 10th to 2007 on the 11th, trise_W data is missing at the 15cm depth.

tsoil_E:
From 1007 on the 7th to 1907 on the 9th, trise_E data is missing or incorrect except at 
the 5cm depth. From 2007 on the 9th to 1907 on the 10th, tsoil_E data is missing.

trise_E:
From 1007 on the 7th to 1907 on the 10th, trise_E data is missing or incorrect.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)

SGP/SWATS/E3 - Incorrect Soil Moisture Data

The temperature rise readings from all depths on both the east and west profilesare 
incorrect. This also causes the matric potential and water content data to be incorrect.

• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)

SGP/SWATS/E4 - Sensor failures, 5cm and 15cm W

The temperature rise readings from the 15-cm depth on the west profile were incorrect from 
20040212:1500 to 20040217:0800. This also caused the matric potential and water content 
data for the 15-cm depth to be incorrect.

The temperature rise readings from the 5-cm depth on the west profile were incorrect from 
20040217:2300 to 20040218:1900. This also caused the matric potential and water content 
data for the 5-cm depth to be incorrect.

• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)

SGP/SWATS/E12 - Time drift

The time synchronization server stopped working on Feb. 19th at 22:12:16 GMT.  The clock 
was corrected by -5600.177269 seconds on March 10th at 22:47 GMT. The recorded times for 
observations are off by amounts ranging from 0 seconds on Feb. 19th to 5600 seconds on 
March 10th.

• Precipitation, total(precip)
• time
• base_time
• time_offset

• tref
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• time_offset
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• base_time
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Incorrect Soil Moisture Data

Due to failure of an electronic component (apparently caused by the onset of 
precipitation), the temperature rise readings from both the west and east profiles (trise_W, trise_E) 
are incorrect at all depths. This also causes the matric potential (soilwatpot_W, 
soilwatpot_E) and water content (watcont_W, watcont_E) data to be incorrect.

• Raw data stream - documentation not supported

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Reprocess: Changed Depth Dimension

The dimension "depth" in the netCDF files was incorrectly reported as 8, and has been 
changed. Newer files with the correct smaller depth dimension do not have extra placeholder 
values and thus are smaller in size.

• depth

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Reprocess: Changed Depth Dimension

The dimension "depth" in the netCDF files was incorrectly reported as 8, and has been 
changed. Newer files with the correct smaller depth dimension do not have extra placeholder 
values and thus are smaller in size.

• depth

SGP/SWATS/E12 - Reprocess: Changed Depth Dimension

The dimension "depth" in the netCDF files was incorrectly reported as 8, and has been 
changed. Newer files with the correct smaller depth dimension do not have extra placeholder 
values and thus are smaller in size.

• depth

SGP/SWATS/E13 - Reprocess: Changed Depth Dimension

The dimension "depth" in the netCDF files was incorrectly reported as 8, and has been 
changed. Newer files with the correct smaller depth dimension do not have extra placeholder 
values and thus are smaller in size.

• depth

SGP/SWATS/E9 - Incorrect reference temperature

The reference temperature was incorrect resulting in incorrect results for soil moisture 
measurements.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• tref
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)

SGP/SWATS/E12 - Incorrect soil moisture

Temperature rise values were way to high (~40 deg C).  Water potential is calculated from 
a rise (and subsequent drop) in temperature in the sensor that is normally ~1-5 degrees 
C.  When the temperature rise is too high, the soil moisture data is dubious at best and 
unusable at worst.  Since this "out-of-bounds" t_rise is so high, the soil moisture data 
are practically unusable.

Soil temperature measurements were not affected.

• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Incorrect soil moisture

All temperature rise values were incorrect.  Soil moisture variables were also incorrect 
due to the incorrect T-rise values.  Soil temperature measurements were not affected.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)

SGP/SWATS/E12 - Reprocess: Incorrect calibrations

Incorrect data configuration program was loaded on logger resulting in incorrect 
coefficients applied.  Data will be reprocessed with correct coefficients.

• tref
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E3 - Sensor failure, 60cm E

The temperature rise readings from the 60-cm depth on the east profile (trise_E) were 
incorrect.  This problem also causes the matric potential (soilwatpot_E) and water content 
(watcont_E) data for the 60-cm depth to be incorrect.  The sensor began to behave 
erratically at 7:00 GMT on 07/10/2008 before an apparent failure at 10:00 GMT on 08/07/2008.  
Maintenance on 10/29 corrected the problem.

Values of tsoil_E at the 60 cm depth are not impacted by this problem.

• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)

SGP/SWATS/E6 - Sensor failure, 15-cm W

All variables from the 15-cm depth on the west profile are reporting as -9999.  Sensor has 
failed.

• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)

SGP/SWATS/E6 - Sensor failure, 175cm E

All variables from the 175-cm depth on the east profile are reporting as -9999. Sensor has 
failed.

• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Incorrect soil moisture

Sensors for all levels in both profiles were reporting values of temperature rise at or 
near 0 C.  The incorrect values of temperature rise result in incorrect soil moisture data.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Sensor failure, 5cm E

The temperature rise readings from the 5-cm depth on the east profile are incorrect. This 
also causes the matric potential and water content data for the 5-cm depth to be 
incorrect. The soil temperature measurements were not affected.

• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E4 - Sensor failure, 5cm E

All variables from the 5cm depth on the east profile are reporting as -9999.  Sensor has 
failed.

• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Sensor failure, 15cm W

All variables from the 15cm West sensor are reported as missing. The sensor has failed.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Sensor failure, 15cm E

The 15cm E sensor failed at 7:00 GMT on 06/02/2002. Values of temperature rise from this 
sensor often do not fail automated QC tests, but inspection of the time series reveals 
that the values are incorrect. Since 2002, this sensor has alternated between providing 
temperature rise values near 0 C, equal to -9999, or other obviously incorrect values. 

Soil temperature data are not affected.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E15 - Incorrect soil moisture

At 20:00 GMT on 05/07/08, temperature rise data from ALL sensors on both profiles began 
reporting values of temperature change near 0 C. These incorrect values of temperature rise 
result in incorrect soil moisture data for all sensors. 

Soil temperature data are unaffected.

• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Soil temperature irregular, 25cm W

The 25 cm W sensor was demonstrating temporal irregularities and were noisy at times.  
These irregularities consisted of dips and increases of around 2-4 C that typically started 
around 14:00 or 15:00 GMT on most days. On other days the values appeared somewhat noisy 
throughout the day. In both cases, the temporal changes did not compare well with the 
other sensors installed at E10.

A broken wire was repaired for 25cm W sensor.

• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Sensor failure, 125cm E

Temperature rise values from the 125 cm E sensor began to intermittently drop out to 
values near 0 C starting at 4:00 GMT on 12/14 before permanently reporting values near 0 C at 
20:00 GMT on 12/15.  The incorrect values of temperature rise result in incorrect matric 
potential and water content data for these sensors.

Soil temperature for this sensor is not affected.  

Sensor resumed working 20090425.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Sensor failure, 15cm E

The temperature rise readings from the 15-cm depth on the east profile were incorrect (0 
or -9999) This also caused the matric potential and water content data for the 15-cm depth 
to be incorrect.

Soil temperature data measurements also failed 20060502.  No data from this sensor should 
be used at or beyond this date.

• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Sensor failures

Following a period of missing values (-9999) from 08/05/05-08/17/05, sensors at several 
depths failed.

Temperature rise values from the 60cm West and 85cm East profile sensors were very noisy 
after 08/17/05. These data, including matric potential and water content, were incorrect.

Temperature rise values from the 85cm West and 125cm East profile sensors are reported as 
0 after 08/17/05. Matric potential and water content data for these sensor were also 
incorrect.  Soil temperatures for these depths were unaffected.

Temperature rise and soil temperature measurements for the 60cm East and 125cm West 
profile sensors were reported as 0 or -9999 after 08/17/05. Matric potential and water content 
data for these sensors were also incorrect.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Sensor failure, 125cm E

The 125cm East sensor reported temperature rise values at or about 0 for the duration of 
the specified period.

Soil temperature data were not affected.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Incorrect soil moisture data

After 12/20/2007, temperature rise values for all sensors (still operational at the time) 
were much too high, on the order of 10's of degrees C. Matric potential and water content 
data for these sensors were also incorrect.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E3 - Incorrect temperature rise data

The temperature rise readings from all depths on both the east and west profiles were 
incorrect, reading near zero. This also causes the matric potential and water content data to 
be incorrect.

• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• tref
• time_offset

SGP/SWATS/E18 - Unknown

The data for site E18 appears to be incorrect and this fact is not completely indicated by 
QC flags.

• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• tref
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Sensor failure

The East 15 cm sensor began producing intermittent missing values between 5/6 and 5/11, 
and then consistently on 5/12 and after. This sensor has failed.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_e)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_e)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_e)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_e)
• fwi_e
• trise_ref_e

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Sensor failure, 35-cm E

All variables from the 35-cm depth on the east profile are reporting as -9999. Sensor has 
failed.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_e)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_e)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_e)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_e)
• fwi_e
• trise_ref_e

SGP/SWATS/E13 - Lightning damage

After a lightning strike near the CF, the SWATS trise values were reporting near zero. The 
current channel in the CE8 module failed, so the wire was moved to the next channel and 
trise values returned to normal.

There are no soil moisture data available during this time period.

• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)

SGP/SWATS/E15 - Missing data

Data are missing and unrecoverable.

• serial_numbers_E
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• time_offset
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)
• Soil Temperature, West Profile(tsoil_W)
• depth
• lat
• base_time
• alt
• tref
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)
• serial_numbers_W
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• lon
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, West Profile(trise_W)

SGP/SWATS/E16 - Sensor failure, 25cm E

The East 25 cm sensor trise dropped to zero. Connections were checked. Sensor has failed.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_e)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_e)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_e)
• fwi_e
• trise_ref_e

SGP/SWATS/E20 - Sensor failure, 25cm E

The East 25 cm sensor t-rise values dropped to zero on 7/11. The t-rise values came back 
up on 7/22 0200 GMT, but again were missing from 7/25 1600 GMT through 7/27 1700 GMT.  Ops 
reseated connection.

• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_E)

SGP/SWATS/E15 - Noisy Sensor

The trise variable for the East 25cm sensor has been acting very sporadically since the 
date noted. The values have been spiking upward (dry) especially during rain events. Please 
check the wiring for this sensor. 
After re-seating the wires the values turned back to normal, less noisy with no spikes 
during rain events.

• fwi_e
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_e)
• trise_ref_e
• Sensor Temperature Rise, East Profile(trise_e)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_e)

SGP/SWATS/E10 - Incorrect calibrations

After a power outage, an older version of the datalogger program was accidently installed 
on the SWATS, resulting in improperly calibrated soilwatpot and watcont values from all 
levels in both profiles for this time period.

• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, West Profile(watcont_W)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Soil Water Potential, West Profile(soilwatpot_W)