Evaluating the Impact of Soil Composition on Near Surface Temperatures in Central Ohio

Soil moisture has a direct impact on near surface temperatures. This is because when soil moisture levels are higher, the water will absorb the energy and evaporate, but with low moisture levels, the ground will heat up instead of evaporating the water. Different types of soil can hold varying amounts of water such as clay and sand. Clay generally holds the most amount of water while sand holds the least. This is due to their varying particle sizes. Within the state of Ohio there are 12 different soil regions, each with its own unique composition. The two soil regions that the study will be focused on are regions four and five which are Miamian-Kokomo-Eldean and Bennington-Cardington-Centerburg, respectively. To test if different regions have different effects on near surface temperatures, there will be two stations deployed in each region measuring soil moisture, soil temperature, surface temperature, and net radiation. The effect of different soil compositions on near surface temperatures will enhance our ability to forecast temperature and soil moisture based upon the soil composition.