A system for collecting spatially variable terrain data

Abstract

Data describing spatially variable parameters and state-variables is required to better understand catchment behaviour and to improve land management. Remote sensing can provide some of this data economically; however, there exists a need for cheaper methods of ground based measurement of variables which cannot be remotely sensed, both for ground truth data and for high resolution data. A system for ground based collection of spatially variable data has been developed. It is based on an all terrain vehicle fitted with a position fixing system and a variety of instruments including a Time Domain Reflectometry soil moisture meter, a soil penetrometer, soil corer, and infrared and near-infrared..