Device

DEFINITION

The OSR SO generates, analyses and gives access to an extended pluridisciplinary and multi-scale dataset, which enables the development, calibration, operation and validation of models and remote sensing systems.

In situ continuous measurements

Installation of 2 eddy covariance flux towers

The OSR SO performs continuous measurements on 5 sites. The first 2 sites are agricultural plots, Auradé (FR-Aur) and Lamasquère (FR-Lam), which are highly equipped since 2005 for a thorough monitoring of green gas, water vapor and energy fluxes. These continuous measures are reinforced by measurement of meteorological conditions, solar radiation, and soil variables. Since these 2 plots are subjected to contrasted agricultural management practices, the long term follow-up of their functioning allows to determine the short- and long-term effects of the intensity of agricultural practices, in interaction with meteorological variability (extreme events such as heat waves and drought, mild winters, etc.). These plots won the ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) label in 2020 and have thus officially joined the ERIC ICOS European Consortium.

FR-Lam, réinstallation d’un mât de mesure des composantes du rayonnement après travail profond du sol sur FR-Lam
Chambres automatisées pour le suivi des flux de CO2 et N2O du sol

The third observation site, Bernadouze, located in the Pyrenees mountains, aims to study the impact of land management (afforestation/deforestation) on snow cover and hydrological cycle. This third site is integrated into the Observatoire Homme Milieu (OHM) of the Haut Vicdessos.

Station de mesures de hauteur de neige, météo, rayonnement sous couvert forestier
Station de mesures de hauteur de neige, météo et rayonnements hors forêt

Survey of spatialized reference data

  • Field observation and surveys of farmers for land use and agricultural practices are carried out each year on more than 350 plots in a 2500 km2 area located southwest of Toulouse and particularly on the plots included in the Auradé watershed.
  • Measurement campaigns with intensive field studies are carried out in conjunction with remote sensing data acquisition campaigns. The data acquired are very diverse and include spatialized measurements of vegetation indices, biomass, yield, soil moisture, soil organic carbon content, snow height, etc.
  • Surveys of spatialized reference data are used to calibrate and validate spatialized models and products (mainly maps) derived from remote sensing (see below for the list of products).

Remote sensing data and products

  • High spatial resolution data (optical, radar, thermal data) have been acquired since 1992 and more frequently since 2006 over a 2500 km2 area located southwest of Toulouse. The large southwest region (including the entire Pyrenean massif) is monitored and documented with high-, medium- and low-resolution spatial data, all the more so since the SENTINEL constellation was launched and offers highly repetitive images (frequent ground coverage cycle). These remote sensing data allow the generation of value-added remote sensing products for the observation of surfaces: land occupancy and use, biophysical indices, etc.

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