SALSA-MEX: a large scale Semi-Arid Land-Surface-Atmospheric Mountain Experiment

Quantification of water and energy fluxes in mountain environments presents significant scientific challenges that must be addressed in a multidisciplinary manner due to the complex interaction of the ecosystem with hydrology and meteorology in areas with large topographic gradients. Conceptualization of a multidisciplinary, regional-scale, mountain experiment to be conducted in the near future is presented to address a subset of these challenges for a semiarid region. A site description with preliminary scientific objectives and a discussion of other important site characteristics for an investigation of this type are included. A primary goal of the presentation is to generate feedback from the portion of the scientific community interested in land-atmosphere interactions in mountain regions.<>