Cal/Val Network

Field Sites

Six permanent autonomous stations operating continuously since 2011 across Spain, plus one site over the Peruvian Amazon — providing high-quality in-situ thermal measurements for satellite calibration and validation.

Station Details

Barrax – Las Tiesas

Albacete, Spain

Cropland

Primary agricultural test site. Features large, flat crop fields ideal for satellite validation. Operated since 2011.

Instruments

CIMEL CE312 radiometer
Campbell IR120
CR1000 datalogger
Flux sensors
39.05°N, 2.1°W

Doñana

Huelva, Spain

Wetland / Nature Reserve

Located in the Doñana Biological Reserve. Multiple sub-stations: Fuente Duque, Juncabalejo, Cortes. Unique wetland biome.

Instruments

Broadband IR radiometers
Net radiation sensor NR01
Humidity & temperature sensors
Sonic anemometers
36.99°N, 6.44°W

Cabo de Gata

Almería, Spain

Semi-arid Mediterranean

Located in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Semi-arid environment with typical Mediterranean sparse vegetation.

Instruments

CIMEL CE312 radiometer
Apogee SI100
Soil moisture sensor TDR CS616
Datalogger
36.9°N, 2.1°W

Lourizán

Pontevedra, Spain

Forest

Located at the CIEF (Centro de Investigación Forestal). Provides measurements over Galician forest biomes.

Instruments

Broadband radiometers
Net radiation sensors
Datalogger CR1000
42.3°N, 8.4°W

El Palmar

Valencia, Spain

Rice paddies / Wetland

Located near the Albufera lake in Valencia. Monitoring of rice paddies and coastal wetland temperature.

Instruments

IR radiometers
Flux sensors
Datalogger
39.3°N, 0.3°W

La Mudarra (New)

Valladolid, Spain

Shrubland / ICOS tower

New station installed during IPL-HRTM. Integrated into the ICOS network at the CIBA 100 m meteorological tower, University of Valladolid.

Instruments

Thermal radiometers (new acquisition)
ICOS-compatible sensors
100 m meteorological tower
41.81°N, 4.93°W
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Peruvian Amazon Station

The GCU also operates a permanent station over the Peruvian Amazon — one of the few test sites worldwide providing continuous monitoring of surface temperature over a tropical forest biome. This unique site enables validation of satellite products in humid equatorial conditions.