scholarly journals An innovative neutron spectrometer for soil moisture measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 136 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Cirillo ◽  
Ruggero Meucci ◽  
Michele Caresana ◽  
Marco Caresana
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Neutron Flux ◽  
Energy Range ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Great Sensitivity ◽  
Neutron Spectrometer ◽  
Epithermal Flux ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Flux Measurements ◽  
The One

AbstractSoil moisture is a crucial variable in evaluating soil properties and its interaction with the atmosphere, yet none of the techniques currently employed is fully adequate for evaluating the water content in soil over an area of hectares and depth of tens of centimeters. In recent times, it has been shown how the water content over this volume can be accurately assessed measuring changes in the epithermal flux of cosmic neutrons, which is extremely sensitive to the moderation caused by hydrogen. The instruments employed for neutron flux measurements are usually neutron counters, covered with moderator coatings for enhancing their sensitivity in the epithermal energy range. On the other hand, the worldwide shortage of $${}^{3}$$ 3 He caused a considerable increase in the costs associated with the manufacturing of proportional counters based on this gas, which were widely employed for their great sensitivity and noise rejection capability. In this work, we developed a $${}^{3}$$ 3 He-free neutron spectrometer for performing these measurements, which detects neutrons in the energy range from 0.01 ev to 1 GeV. The reconstruction of the energy spectrum allows a more accurate evaluation of the epithermal neutron flux and provides other information which improves the quality of soil moisture measurements. Irradiations performed with neutron sources of $${}^{241}$$ 241 Am and AmBe allowed to evaluate the spectrometric capability of the instrument, whereas the measurements of cosmic neutrons were employed to assess its sensitivity to cosmic radiation. The sensitivity of the instrument is slightly less than the one of the neutron counters currently employed, yet the access to the spectrometric information should provide greater accuracy in the epithermal flux measurements.

scholarly journals Simple sensors to achieve fine spatial resolution in continuous measurements of soil moisture and salinity

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 1043-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Konukcu ◽  
J. W. Gowing ◽  
D. A. Rose
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Great Sensitivity ◽  
Fine Spatial Resolution ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Individual Calibration ◽  
Design Construction

Abstract. It is increasingly necessary to be able to measure, simultaneously, continuously and at fine spatial resolution, the salinity and water content of soil. This paper reports the design, construction, calibration and laboratory testing of two simple but robust instruments that enable this to be achieved. Salinity in solution was measured reliably, at 10-mm spacing, by multi-electrode resistivity probes up to saturation with NaCl (c. 6 mol l–1), though these probes required individual calibration and were unable to detect precipitated salt. Volumetric water content was measured with great sensitivity over a wide range, from air-dryness (0.06 m3m–3) to saturation (0.55 m3m–3) in a sandy loam, using thermal-conductivity probes that used a common calibration and were unaffected by the salinity of the soil solution, by temperature and by ageing. Keywords: soil moisture, soil salinity, thermal-conductivity moisture probe, four-electrode salinity probe

A Proportional Counter for Neutron Flux Measurements in the Energy Range 0.1 to 1 Mev

1952 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 204-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. H. R. Skyrme ◽  
P. R. Tunnicliffe ◽  
A. G. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Flux ◽  
Energy Range ◽  
Proportional Counter ◽  
Flux Measurements

scholarly journals Some Preliminary Notes on the Physical Properties of the Soils of the Ganges Valley, more especially in their relation to Soil Moisture

1906 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Leake
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Short Duration ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
The Other ◽  
Indian Agriculture ◽  
Northern India ◽  
The One ◽  
The Ganges

In a stretch of arable lands like those of the Ganges Valley, although damage may be caused by occasional floods, which are sudden and of short duration, the more general, and by far the most serious loss is due to deficiency of moisture of the soil: thus the relation of the soil to soil moisture becomes of more than ordinary importance. Dr Voelcker, in his Report on Indian Agriculture, remarks: “In India the relation of soils to moisture acquires a greater significance than almost anywhere else.......” This relation is fundamental, for on it depends the methods for the conservation of soil moisture, for the economical application of irrigation water, and for the treatment of barren and salt lands—all problems of direct interest to agriculturists in the plains of Northern India. The methods for dealing with these problems must be largely—if not entirely—empirical until such time as the behaviour of the soil in its relation to moisture is investigated. The problem in all its various branches is enormous, and in a country in which the seasons follow each other with such rapidity, and vary the one from the other in so marked a manner, it frequently happens that a particular point, if not determined within a period of a few days, must await solution until the following year.

EFFECT OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION ON YIELD, RELATIVE LEAF WATER CONTENT, LEAF PROLINE ACCUMULATION AND CHLOROPHYLL STABILITY INDEX OF COTTON–MAIZE CROPPING SEQUENCE

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. SAMPATHKUMAR ◽  
B. J. PANDIAN ◽  
P. JEYAKUMAR ◽  
P. MANICKASUNDARAM
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Moisture Gradient ◽  
Proline Content ◽  
Leaf Water Content ◽  
Chlorophyll Stability Index ◽  
Soil Moisture Gradient

SUMMARYWater stress induces some physiological changes in plants and has cumulative effects on crop growth and yield. Field experiments were conducted to study the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) on yield and some physiological parameters in cotton and maize in a sequential cropping system. Creation of soil moisture gradient is indispensable to explore the beneficial effects of partial root zone drying (PRD) irrigation and it could be possible only through alternate deficit irrigation (ADI) practice in paired row system of drip layout that is commonly practiced in India. In the present study, PRD and DI concepts (creation of soil moisture gradient) were implemented through ADI at two levels of irrigation using drip system. Maize was sown after cotton under no till condition without disturbing the raised bed and drip layout. Relative leaf water content (RLWC) and chlorophyll stability index (CSI) of cotton and maize were reduced under water stress. A higher level of leaf proline content was observed under severe water-stressed treatments in cotton and maize. RLWC and CSI were highest and leaf proline content was lowest in mild water deficit (ADI at 100% crop evapotranspiration once in three days) irrigation in cotton and maize. The same treatments registered higher values for crop yields, net income and benefit cost ratio for both the crops.

Numerical simulation of coupled liquid water, stress and heat for frozen soil in the thawing process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xiao ◽  
Enlong Liu ◽  
Xiao Yin ◽  
Guike Zhang ◽  
Chong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Frozen Soil ◽  
Water Migration ◽  
Overburden Pressure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thawing Process ◽  
Sample Water ◽  
The One

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to perform the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) numerical analysis in order to study the thawing process for frozen soil and to predict the thawing settlement.Design/methodology/approachA new one-dimensional multi-field physical coupled model was proposed here to describe the thawing process of saturated frozen soil, whereby the void ratio varied linearly with effective stress (Eq. 10) and hydraulic conductivity (Eq. 27b). The thawing process was simulated with different initial and boundary conditions in an open system with temperature variations. The mechanical behavior and water migration of the representative cases were also investigated.FindingsThe comparisons of representative cases with experimental data demonstrated that the model predicts thawing settlement well. It was found that the larger temperature gradient, higher overburden pressure and higher water content could lead to larger thawing settlement. The temperature was observed that to distribute height linearly in both frozen zone and unfrozen zone of the sample. Water migration forced to a decrease in the water content of the unfrozen zone and an increase in water content at the thawing front.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, only the one-directional thawing processes along the frozen soil samples were investigated numerically and compared with test results, which can be extended to two-dimensional analysis of thawing process in frozen soil.Originality/valueThis study helps to understand the thawing process of frozen soil by coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical numerical simulation.

Soil moisture variation drives canopy water content dynamics across the western U.S.

2021 ◽  
Vol 253 ◽  
pp. 112233
Author(s):  
Drew S. Lyons ◽  
Solomon Z. Dobrowski ◽  
Zachary A. Holden ◽  
Marco P. Maneta ◽  
Anna Sala
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Moisture Variation ◽  
Canopy Water ◽  
Soil Moisture Variation

scholarly journals Characterizing Soil Physical Properties for Soil Moisture Monitoring with the North Carolina Environment and Climate Observing Network

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 933-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weinan Pan ◽  
R. P. Boyles ◽  
J. G. White ◽  
J. L. Heitman
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
The North ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Soil Moisture Monitoring

Abstract Soil moisture has important implications for meteorology, climatology, hydrology, and agriculture. This has led to growing interest in development of in situ soil moisture monitoring networks. Measurement interpretation is severely limited without soil property data. In North Carolina, soil moisture has been monitored since 1999 as a routine parameter in the statewide Environment and Climate Observing Network (ECONet), but with little soils information available for ECONet sites. The objective of this paper is to provide soils data for ECONet development. The authors studied soil physical properties at 27 ECONet sites and generated a database with 13 soil physical parameters, including sand, silt, and clay contents; bulk density; total porosity; saturated hydraulic conductivity; air-dried water content; and water retention at six pressures. Soil properties were highly variable among individual ECONet sites [coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 12% to 80%]. This wide range of properties suggests very different behavior among sites with respect to soil moisture. A principal component analysis indicated parameter groupings associated primarily with soil texture, bulk density, and air-dried water content accounted for 80% of the total variance in the dataset. These results suggested that a few specific soil properties could be measured to provide an understanding of differences in sites with respect to major soil properties. The authors also illustrate how the measured soil properties have been used to develop new soil moisture products and data screening for the North Carolina ECONet. The methods, analysis, and results presented here have applications to North Carolina and for other regions with heterogeneous soils where soil moisture monitoring is valuable.

scholarly journals Growth and physiological response of two biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes bred for different environments, to contrasting levels of soil moisture

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Barbanti ◽  
Ahmad Sher ◽  
Giuseppe Di Girolamo ◽  
Elio Cirillo ◽  
Muhammad Ansar
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Stomatal Conductance ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Relative Water Content ◽  
Physiological Response ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Biomass Sorghum ◽  
Relative Water

A better understanding of plant mechanisms in response to drought is a strong premise to achieving high yields while saving unnecessary water. This is especially true in the case of biomass crops for non-food uses (energy, fibre and forage), grown with limited water supply. In this frame, we investigated growth and physiological response of two genotypes of biomass sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolor</em> (L.) Moench) to contrasting levels of soil moisture in a pot experiment carried out in a greenhouse. Two water regimes (high and low water, corresponding to 70% and 30% field capacity) were applied to JS-2002 and Trudan-8 sorghum genotypes, respectively bred for dry sub-tropical and mild temperate conditions. Two harvests were carried out at 73 and 105 days after seeding. Physiological traits (transpiration, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance) were assessed in four dates during growth. Leaf water potential, its components and relative water content were determined at the two harvests. Low watering curbed plant height and aboveground biomass to a similar extent (ca. 􀀀70%) in both genotypes. JS-2002 exhibited a higher proportion of belowground to aboveground biomass, <em>i.e</em>., a morphology better suited to withstand drought. Despite this, JS-2002 was more affected by low water in terms of physiology: during the growing season, the average ratio in transpiration, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance between droughty and well watered plants was, respectively, 0.82, 0.80 and 0.79 in JS-2002; 1.05, 1.08 and 1.03 in Trudan-8. Hence Trudan-8 evidenced a ca. 20% advantage in the three traits. In addition, Trudan-8 could better exploit abundant moisture (70% field capacity), increasing aboveground biomass and water use efficiency. In both genotypes, drought led to very low levels of leaf water potential and relative water content, still supporting photosynthesis. Hence, both morphological and physiological characteristics of sorghum were involved in plant adaptation to drought, in accordance with previous results. Conversely, the common assumption that genotypes best performing under wet conditions are less suited to face drought was contradicted by the results of the two genotypes in our experiment. This discloses a potential to be further exploited in programmes of biomass utilization for various end uses, although further evidence at greenhouse and field level is needed to corroborate this finding.

Importance of water content and motion in the one-dimensional conductorK2Pt(CN)4Cl0.3·nH2O

1974 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1778-1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Butler ◽  
H. J. Guggenheim
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
The One
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