In situ characterization of thermophysical soil properties—Measurements and monitoring of soil water content with a thermal probe

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 043106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Chauchois ◽  
Emmanuel Antczak ◽  
Didier Defer ◽  
Franck Brachelet
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Thermal Probe ◽  
In Situ Characterization

scholarly journals Geometrical Considerations and Interfacial Processes Affecting Electromagnetic Measurement of Soil Water Content by TDR and Remote Sensing Methods

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shmuel Friedman ◽  
Jon Wraith ◽  
Dani Or
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Effective Permittivity ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Content Determination

Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and other in-situ and remote sensing dielectric methods for determining the soil water content had become standard in both research and practice in the last two decades. Limitations of existing dielectric methods in some soils, and introduction of new agricultural measurement devices or approaches based on soil dielectric properties mandate improved understanding of the relationship between the measured effective permittivity (dielectric constant) and the soil water content. Mounting evidence indicates that consideration must be given not only to the volume fractions of soil constituents, as most mixing models assume, but also to soil attributes and ambient temperature in order to reduce errors in interpreting measured effective permittivities. The major objective of the present research project was to investigate the effects of the soil geometrical attributes and interfacial processes (bound water) on the effective permittivity of the soil, and to develop a theoretical frame for improved, soil-specific effective permittivity- water content calibration curves, which are based on easily attainable soil properties. After initializing the experimental investigation of the effective permittivity - water content relationship, we realized that the first step for water content determination by the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) method, namely, the TDR measurement of the soil effective permittivity still requires standardization and improvement, and we also made more efforts than originally planned towards this objective. The findings of the BARD project, related to these two consequential steps involved in TDR measurement of the soil water content, are expected to improve the accuracy of soil water content determination by existing in-situ and remote sensing dielectric methods and to help evaluate new water content sensors based on soil electrical properties. A more precise water content determination is expected to result in reduced irrigation levels, a matter which is beneficial first to American and Israeli farmers, and also to hydrologists and environmentalists dealing with production and assessment of contamination hazards of this progressively more precious natural resource. The improved understanding of the way the soil geometrical attributes affect its effective permittivity is expected to contribute to our understanding and predicting capability of other, related soil transport properties such as electrical and thermal conductivity, and diffusion coefficients of solutes and gas molecules. In addition, to the originally planned research activities we also investigated other related problems and made many contributions of short and longer terms benefits. These efforts include: Developing a method and a special TDR probe for using TDR systems to determine also the soil's matric potential; Developing a methodology for utilizing the thermodielectric effect, namely, the variation of the soil's effective permittivity with temperature, to evaluate its specific surface area; Developing a simple method for characterizing particle shape by measuring the repose angle of a granular material avalanching in water; Measurements and characterization of the pore scale, saturation degree - dependent anisotropy factor for electrical and hydraulic conductivities; Studying the dielectric properties of cereal grains towards improved determination of their water content. A reliable evaluation of the soil textural attributes (e.g. the specific surface area mentioned above) and its water content is essential for intensive irrigation and fertilization processes and within extensive precision agriculture management. The findings of the present research project are expected to improve the determination of cereal grain water content by on-line dielectric methods. A precise evaluation of grain water content is essential for pricing and evaluation of drying-before-storage requirements, issues involving energy savings and commercial aspects of major economic importance to the American agriculture. The results and methodologies developed within the above mentioned side studies are expected to be beneficial to also other industrial and environmental practices requiring the water content determination and characterization of granular materials.  

scholarly journals Using Multivariate Geostatistics to Assess Patterns of Spatial Dependence of Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity and Selected Soil Properties

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glécio Machado Siqueira ◽  
Jorge Dafonte Dafonte ◽  
Montserrat Valcárcel Armesto ◽  
Ênio Farias França e Silva
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Soil Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Multivariate Geostatistics ◽  
Northwestern Spain

The apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) was continuously recorded in three successive dates using electromagnetic induction in horizontal (ECa-H) and vertical (ECa-V) dipole modes at a 6 ha plot located in Northwestern Spain. One of the ECadata sets was used to devise an optimized sampling scheme consisting of 40 points. Soil was sampled at the 0.0–0.3 m depth, in these 40 points, and analyzed for sand, silt, and clay content; gravimetric water content; and electrical conductivity of saturated soil paste. Coefficients of correlation between ECaand gravimetric soil water content (0.685 for ECa-V and 0.649 for ECa-H) were higher than those between ECaand clay content (ranging from 0.197 to 0.495, when different ECarecording dates were taken into account). Ordinary and universal kriging have been used to assess the patterns of spatial variability of the ECadata sets recorded at successive dates and the analyzed soil properties. Ordinary and universal cokriging methods have improved the estimation of gravimetric soil water content using the data of ECaas secondary variable with respect to the use of ordinary kriging.

Laboratory Characterization of a Commercial Capacitance Sensor for Estimating Permittivity and Inferring Soil Water Content

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1048-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Schwank ◽  
Timothy R. Green ◽  
Christian Mätzler ◽  
Hansruedi Benedickter ◽  
Hannes Flühler
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Capacitance Sensor ◽  
Laboratory Characterization

An in situ probe-spacing-correction thermo-TDR sensor to measure soil water content accurately

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1030-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Wen ◽  
G. Liu ◽  
R. Horton ◽  
K. Noborio
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Probe Spacing

Dependence of Soil Properties under Alpine Lichen Heath Community on the Soil Water Content and the Presence of Vaccinium vitis-idaea

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 941-949
Author(s):  
M. I. Makarov ◽  
R. V. Sabirova ◽  
M. S. Kadulin ◽  
T. I. Malysheva ◽  
A. I. Zhuravleva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Heath Community

scholarly journals Separation of soil and canopy reflectance signatures of Mid German agricultural soils

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (No, 7) ◽  
pp. 296-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Behrens ◽  
K. Gregor ◽  
W. Diepenbrock
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Reflectance

Remote sensing can provide visual indications of crop growth during production season. In past, spectral optical estimations were well performed in the ability to be correlated with crop and soil properties but were not consistent within the whole production season. To better quantify vegetation properties gathered via remote sensing, models of soil reflectance under changing moisture conditions are needed. Signatures of reflected radiation were acquired for several Mid German agricultural soils in laboratory and field experiments. Results were evaluated at near-infrared spectral region at the wavelength of 850 nm. The selected soils represented different soil colors and brightness values reflecting a broad range of soil properties. At the wavelength of 850 nm soil reflectance ranged between 10% (black peat) and 74% (white quartz sand). The reflectance of topsoils varied from 21% to 32%. An interrelation was found between soil brightness rating values and spectral optical reflectance values in form of a linear regression. Increases of soil water content from 0% to 25% decreased signatures of soil reflectance at 850 nm of two different soil types about 40%. The interrelation of soil reflectance and soil moisture revealed a non-linear exponential function. Using knowledge of the individual signature of soil reflectance as well as the soil water content at the measurement, soil reflectance could be predicted. As a result, a clear separation is established between soil reflectance and reflectance of the vegetation cover if the vegetation index is known.

Hydrologic soil properties and application of a soil moisture model in a balsam fir forest

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Barry ◽  
André P. Plamondon ◽  
Jean Stein
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Crop Coefficient ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Moisture Model

An analysis of hydrologic soil properties and the prediction of volumetric soil water content during four summers have been done for a site located in the balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.) forest of the Lac Laflamme watershed. The hydrologic properties were used to identify three different soil layers, THIRSTY, a soil moisture model using the Penman evapotranspiration formula, was applied to predict daily volumetric water content of these layers. Predictions of soil moisture with the calibrated model were close to the observed data for the median layer (20–60 cm from the soil surface) and less accurate for the surface layer (0–20 cm) where important transpiration activities take place. The model appeared unreliable for predicting soil water content of the bottom layer (60–100 cm) which was often saturated by groundwater. The calibration of the model required modifications of the observed values of the available water content at field capacity and the relative root density factor and was adjusted with the crop coefficient of the Penman evapotranspiration formula. These modifications of observed physical parameters raise the question of the feasibility of extrapolating the model to other sites without extensive calibration. The high sensitivity to variations of the crop coefficient applied to the evapotranspiration equation indicated that a more physically based transpiration model, supported by field-oriented process studies, would be required to improve the model's performance.

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