The proposed collaborative research (Carleton/Penn State Univ. PA, Travis/Univ. Wisconsin Whitewater WI, and Arnold/Ball State Univ. IN) aims to determine the role of land surface conditions in the contemporary (1981-1994) warm season climate (April through September). The geographical region to be studied is the humid lowland region of the Midwest US centered on the Corn Belt. The PIs will determine the association between land covers parameters (such as vegetation, evapotranspiration, surface and soil moisture) and connective cloudiness across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Data from GOES and NOAA AVHRR using McIDAS and a combination of statistical techniques including fractal analysis, will be utilized. Conventional meteorological data and published land cover data will help to corroborate the satellite data, and also assist in determination of land surface-climate interactions for sub-areas and time periods characterized by contrasting vegetation status, surface soil moisture, and atmospheric conditions such as humidity and wind. The work is important because it will enhance our understanding of the role of land surface conditions in seasonal climate of the corn belt region of the US.
