Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation

Title: Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation

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Abstract

Water content in a soil is determined by measuring the attenuation of secondary background cosmic radiation as this radiation propagates through a layer of soil and water. By measuring the attenuation of secondary cosmic radiation in the range of 5 MeV-15 MeV it is possible to obtain a relative measure of the water content in a soil layer above a suitable radiation detector and thus establish when and how much irrigation is needed. The electronic circuitry is designed so that a battery pack can be used to supply power.

Inventors:: Condreva, Kenneth

Issue Date:: 2003-12-16

Research Org.:: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1174622

Patent Number(s):: 6663012

Application Number:: 10/004,291

Assignee:: Sandia National Laboratories (Livermore, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A01 - AGRICULTURE A01G - HORTICULTURE

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A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A01 - AGRICULTURE A01G - HORTICULTURE
A01G25/167 - {Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere

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DOE Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats


                    Condreva, Kenneth. Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation.  United States: N. p., 2003. 
        Web.

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                    Condreva, Kenneth. Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation.  United States.

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                    Condreva, Kenneth. Tue .  
        "Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1174622.

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@article{osti_1174622,

  title        = {Method for detecting moisture in soils using secondary cosmic radiation},

  author       = {Condreva, Kenneth},

  abstractNote = {Water content in a soil is determined by measuring the attenuation of secondary background cosmic radiation as this radiation propagates through a layer of soil and water. By measuring the attenuation of secondary cosmic radiation in the range of 5 MeV-15 MeV it is possible to obtain a relative measure of the water content in a soil layer above a suitable radiation detector and thus establish when and how much irrigation is needed. The electronic circuitry is designed so that a battery pack can be used to supply power.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2003},

  month        = {12}

}

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