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)
• Soil Water Potential, East Profile(soilwatpot_E)
• Volumetric Water Content, East Profile(watcont_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.

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

SGP/SWATS/E19 - Sensor failure, 60cm E

The 60cm East profile sensor began reporting temperature rise values near 0 C. This 
problem continued until the old profile of sensors was disconnected and the new set of sensors 
was connected. The soil temperature measure was not impacted by this problem.

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

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.

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

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

SGP/SWATS/E5 - Sensor failure, 175cm E

The temperature rise of the 175-cm East profile began reporting as incorrect with values 
near 0 C. This also caused the matric potential and water content data to be incorrect.

On 10/28/08, a broken wire was fixed and data came back online.

Soil temperature data was unaffected.

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

SGP/SWATS/E7 - Soil temperature irregular, 125cm E

The 125 cm E sensor was demonstrating temporal irregularities in its soil temperature 
measurements.  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 E7.  

A bad fiber optic cable was replaced.

• Soil Temperature, East Profile(tsoil_E)

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/E19 - Sensor failure, 125 W

Temperature rise values form the 125 cm West profile sensor began reporting values near 0 
C. This problem continued until the old profile of sensors was disconnected and the new 
set of sensors was connected. The soil temperature measure was not impacted by this problem.

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

SGP/SWATS/E19 - Failed sensor, 35cm E

Temperature rise and soil temperature from the 35cm East profile sensor began to report as 
-9999.  This problem continued until the old profile of sensors was disconnected and the 
new set of sensors was connected.

• 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)

SGP/SWATS/E19 - Sensor failure, 15cm W

Temperature rise and soil temperature from the 15cm West profile sensor began to report as 
-9999.  This problem continued until the old profile of sensors was disconnected and the 
new set of sensors was connected.

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

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.

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

SGP/SWATS/E27 - Incorrect serial numbers

The wiring at E27 from the Campbell Scientific 229-L sensors is backwards. This issue 
impacts the following variables but does not impact data quality: serial_numbers_W, 
serial_numbers_E.

All serial numbers stored in the serial_numbers_W variable apply to data stored in the 
trise_E and tsoil_E variables, and vice versa.  Thus, the user should be aware that the 
trise_W, trise_E, tsoil_W, and tsoil_E variables actually contain data from the opposite 
profile.

• East profile sensor serial numbers(serial_numbers_E)
• West profile sensor serial numbers(serial_numbers_W)

SGP/SWATS/E27 - Reprocess: Miscalibration

The wiring at E27 from the Campbell Scientific 229-L sensors is backwards. Matric 
potential and water content data are incorrect due to incorrect calibrations being applied to 
temperature rise sensor data.

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