Non-invasive field measurements of soil water content using a pulsed 14 MeV neutron generator

Current techniques of soil water content measurement are invasive and labor-intensive. Here, we demonstrate that an in situ soil carbon (C) analyzer with a multi-elemental analysis capability, developed for studies of terrestrial C sequestration, can be used concurrently to non-invasively measure th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soil & tillage research 2012-04, Vol.120, p.130-136
Main Authors: MITRA, S, WIELOPOLSKI, L, OMONODE, R, NOVAK, J, FREDERICK, J, CHAN, A. S. K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
08 HYDROGEN
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
CALIBRATION
CARBON
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
HYDROGEN
NEUTRON GENERATORS
NEUTRONS
OXYGEN
Soil science
SOILS
WATER
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Summary:Current techniques of soil water content measurement are invasive and labor-intensive. Here, we demonstrate that an in situ soil carbon (C) analyzer with a multi-elemental analysis capability, developed for studies of terrestrial C sequestration, can be used concurrently to non-invasively measure the water content of large-volume ({approx}0.3 m{sup 3}) soil samples. Our objectives were to investigate the correlations of the hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) signals with water to the changes in the soil water content in laboratory experiments, and in an agricultural field. Implementing prompt gamma neutron activation analyses we showed that in the field, the signal from the H nucleus better indicates the soil water content than does that from the O nucleus. Using a field calibration, we were able to use the H signal to estimate a minimum detectable change of {approx}2% volumetric water in a 0-30 cm depth of soil.
ISSN:0167-1987
1879-3444
DOI:10.1016/j.still.2011.12.009