Application of atmospheric neutrons to soil moisture measurement

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Soil Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-198510000-00001· OSTI ID:6047230

Kodama, M; Kudo, S; Kosuge, T

This paper describes the possibility of continuous remote sensing of the moisture content of soil using atmospheric neutrons produced by cosmic radiations near the ground surface. Using polyethylene-moderated BF3 neutron counters at several different underground depths, the authors measured time variations of the neutron fluxes, to examine their responses to soil moisture changes quantitatively. From the close correlations between neutron fluxes and soil moisture contents, they show that the fluxes of the underground neutrons with energies from the cadmium threshold of 0.025 eV to about 10W eV, measured at a depth of 20 cm, are affected most sensitively by the moisture content of the soil near the same depth. Their fractional change is represented by a regression coefficient of 1% per unit percent of soil moisture change for a range from 33% (approx.2.8 pF) to 52% (approx.1.9 pF) at the 20-cm depth. This neutron technique promises to be a simple and reliable measurement that depends on the counting statistics of neutrons.

• Research Organization: Yamanashi Medical College, Japan
• OSTI ID: 6047230
• Journal Information: Soil Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci.; (United States) Vol. 140:4; ISSN SOSCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BARYONS
BF3 COUNTERS
COSMIC NEUTRONS
COSMIC RADIATION
COUNTING RATES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MOISTURE
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON SLOWING-DOWN THEORY
NEUTRONS
NUCLEONS
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATIONS
SLOWING-DOWN
SOILS