The Network for Calibration and Validation of EO data (NCAVEO) ground data collection programme included a series of transects on the River Test at Chilbolton Cow Common, an area of semi-natural wet grassland. The river survey was carried out on the 16th June between 11:15 and 13:15 at site Chilbolton 1 and 15:30-17:00 at Chilbolton 2, the day before the ‘golden day’ on which the airborne data were collected by the Environment Agency / Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The sampling strategy used was based on the desire to capture; (1) data over the range of water depths, (2) a dense and extensive sample of data to allow for bathymetric modelling of the river regions and (3) data over a broad range of substrate types to represent all varieties within the study region (e.g. from marginal vegetation to silts and to gravels). The variables recorded included: Easting; Northing; Water depth (cm); Depth to bed (cm); Surface velocity (m/s); Dominant substrate. Surface velocity was measured using a Valeport uni-directional electro-magnetic current meter (Valeport Ltd.). For more information on the collection and processing of the data please see the dataset's metadata document, in linked documentation. A video of David Spear describing the survey is available also included in the directory.

As part of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Land Cover 2007 Pilot Project, a reconnaissance survey was undertaken on 12th May 2006 in a 60 x 60 km area (bounded by Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference X = 400000 to 460000, Y = 095000 to 155000) which included the Network for Calibration and Validation in Earth Observation (NCAVEO) test site. A recording tablet device was used for acquiring ground data for sample points in the defined area. The dataset consists of an ESRI shape file of point data, containing all the points recorded on a tablet device. Each point has a British National Grid X and Y co-ordinate and a class code. The dataset has not been checked or edited yet and a few of the records will be erroneous. The most obvious errors will be two or more points with identical locations but different codes, the final code will be the correct one. Some of the points for Salisbury Plain lie just outside the test area boundaries. A key to abbreviations used for field recording is also included and a list of thematic land cover classes and their codes to aid field reconnaissance, as used for Land Cover Map 2000.

This dataset compromises data collected by the Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) over Chilbolton, 17th June 2006, as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of EO data (NCAVEO) 2006 Field Campaign. The data were collected in Mode 1, which has 34 metre pixel size and 62 spectral bands between 411 nm and 997 nm, giving a ground resolution of 34 metres. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd is the owner of all data directly resulting from in-flight operation of the CHRIS instrument flown on- board the ESA PROBA spacecraft. All publications on the CHRIS instrument or data obtained from the CHRIS development and/or operation should therefore make explicit reference to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, the CHRIS instrument and the ESA PROBA mission. The L3b Directory contains data created by Ted Milton from the L1b, after having been destriped and registered to the OS grid. For more information on the structure and format of the data please see the associated metadata PDF for the dataset in linked documentation.

This dataset compromises measurements of the angular distribution of spectral sky radiance (400-1000nm), collected as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of Earth Observation (NCAVEO) 2006 Field Campaign. Measurements were taken at frequent intervals on the 17th June 2006 using a new instrument designed by Andrew McGonigle. The instrument is based on a temperature-stabilised miniature spectroradiometer interfaced to a telescope that can be programmed to make zenithal scans of sky irradiance. Azimuthal motion of the whole instrument was provided by manual adjustment. A sampling interval of 18° in zenith and 30° in azimuth was used. All data were collected when the spectrometer was thermally stabilised to the same temperature (approximately 7.5°C). Each sample of the sky irradiance distribution comprised two scans: one of the whole sky, and then a second low-gain scan shortly afterwards, concentrating just on the region around the Sun. Scans were repeated twice, with different integration times to allow for the extreme differences in brightness of the Sun and the sky. For further information and details on the structure of the files see the dataset's metadata PDF in linked documentation.

A Delta-T BF2 Sunshine Sensor was used to measure the total and diffuse sky irradiance every minute from 10:30 to 13:00 hours on the 17th June 2006, as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of EO data 2006 Field Campaign. 150 readings were produced in total. The direct energy of the sun on the instrument is calculated from the differences between the total energy and diffuse component recorded simultaneously.

Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements were collected using a Delta-T SunScan as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of Earth Observation data (NCAVEO) 2006 Field Campaign. Data were collected from the following experiment fields: Rickyard (winter wheat), Fairpiece (winter oats) and Brockley (spring barley). The parameters required by the SunData program were set as follows: • Leaf Angle Distribution Parameter = 1.0 • Leaf Absorption Parameter = 0.85 Five sample points were located within tramlines in each field and their position determined using dGPS. Five 10 metre long transects were set-up, centred on each of these points and marked with coloured flags, marking the longitudinal extent of each Elementary Sampling Unit (ESU). The ‘width’ of the area sampled within the crop was determined by the reach of the instrument, around 1 metre. The geographic co-ordinates in the data file have been calculated to allow for the offset of sample measurements from the tramlines, and these should be taken as the definitive locations of the individual samples. SunScan measurements were made every metre along a 30 m transect, the central 10 m length of which coincided with the area between the coloured flags. Each of the extended ESUs was sampled in the same order in each field: Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, White flag, following a path along the tramlines shown in Figure 1. This gave a total of 165 LAI measurements per field. The geographic co-ordinates of each measurement were recorded and represented alongside the measured variables. For further details see the dataset's metadata document in linked documentation.

As part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of Earth Observation data (NCAVEO) 2006 Field Campaign, hyperspectral measurements were collected over the study area of Shrewsbury on 17th June 2006. The measurements were recorded using a Specim Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging Systems (AISA) Eagle sensor on board a Dornier 228 aircraft operated by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Airborne Research and Survey Facility (ARSF). The Eagle is a 12 bit, pushbroom, hyperspectral sensor. It covers the visible and near infra-red spectrum 400 - 970nm, has a 1000 pixel swath width and a maximum spectral resolution of 2.9nm. This dataset compromises the level 1b data which was collected by the instrument. The data was collected between 10:40 am and 12:01 pm GMT. 8 flightlines of data were acquired: 7 flown in a NW-SE azimuth and one cross-cutting flightline (08), in a SW-NE direction. A link to the record page for the level 3a dataset and CASI-2 data collected during the flight are also available in linked documentation.

A Hemispherical Camera (Nikon Coolpix 995) was used to take photographs at sites Harewood Forest, Rickyard and Fairpiece, Chilbolton, as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation in Earth Observation 2006 Field Campaign. This dataset consists of the 19 upward-looking photos taken at Fairpiece field on the 15th June 2006.

A Hemispherical Camera (Nikon Coolpix 995) was used to take photographs at sites Harewood Forest, Rickyard and Fairpiece, Chilbolton, as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation in Earth Observation 2006 Field Campaign. This dataset consists of the 18 photos taken at Fairpiece field on the 16th June 2006, most of which are upward-looking.

The reflectance spectra of the spring barley of field Brockley, near Chilbolton was collected as part of the Network for Calibration and Validation of Earth Observation data (NCAVEO) 2006 Field Campaign. This dataset compromises the data which was collected on the 18th June. Measurements were also taken on the 15th at this location, the dataset record for which is available through linked documentation. Measurements were recorded using an ASD N4406 FieldSpec Pro, measurements having been taken at 5 flags within the field. After the exclusion of noisy bands, the spectra contains 1926 bands, covering the wavelengths 350-1354 nm, 1409-1811 nm and 1952-2496 nm. For further information on the processing of the raw data please see the dataset's metadata pdf in linked documentation. Please note that all raw spectra files collected during the NCAVEO campaign with ASD N4406 have incorrect dates. The laptop computer used with the ASD had the month accidently set to JULY instead of June. The DAY of month and TIME (UTC) are correct in all cases. All other files (FSF spreadsheets and Excel/ENVI summary outputs) are marked with the correct 15-18th June 2006 dates.