The Susquehanna-Shale Hills CZO consists of an 8-hectare watershed in central Pennsylvania developed entirely on the Rose Hill shale consisting of black shale (Marcellus shale, Huntingdon, PA). Research infrastructure in the main Shale Hills catchment includes an array of sensors to quantify water and energy fluxes within the catchment. These sensors provide high-frequency information about the atmospheric, hydrologic, and vegetation dynamics in the catchment. These data, in conjunction with ongoing geophysical, geo- and hydrochemical analyses and geospatial/remote sensing data, inform the ongoing research at the CZO. We maintain 3 locations along Shavers Creek with two sites transmitting data and the third sensor array as autonomous.

 

The infrastructure at Susquehanna Shale Hills CZO includes physical research equipment and records (field-deployed sensors; sample specimen archives), data systems (time series and geospatial data archives; a network to collect data from field sensors), and logistical support at a main site in central Pennsylvania. This infrastructure facilitates the ongoing exploration of critical zone processes and can be adapted to the requirements of various research projects. By harnessing existing instrumentation, data and personnel we can identify where future needs exist and respond appropriately. The intensive nature of infrastructure development at the main SSHCZO site has yielded a wealth of information that are now being applied for further studies. Details of the research infrastructure at the main SSHCZO site are provided in this section.