The soil data at the ORNL DAAC are used primarily as site characteristics for terrestrial biogeochemistry models. The goal is to have data sets that contain the following variables:
- soil depth, depth to bedrock or water table, depth to permafrost, profile description, texture (sand, silt, clay, rock), bulk density, cation exchange capacity, aluminum content, thermal and hydraulic conductivity, C, N (NH4, NO3 )content, N mineralization, N fixation, denitrification, pH, and temperature.
The ORNL DAAC currently distributes the Worldwide Organic Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Data and has recently made available the Zobler Global Soil Data.