Premium
The “physics” of soil water physics
Author(s) -
Sposito Garrison
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr022i09sp0083s
Subject(s) - soil physics , applied physics , symmetry (geometry) , physics , statistical physics , theoretical physics , soil water , soil science , mathematics , environmental science , thermodynamics , geometry
Some aspects of the underlying conceptualizations (as opposed to experimental methodologies or mathematical algorithms) in soil water physics are reviewed. Contemporary issues relating to the symmetry properties of the Richards Equation, the status of the energy picture of soil water, and the theoretical description of coupled heat and water flows in soil are raised to exemplify as yet unresolved problems in the “physics” of soil water physics. Four basic questions which formalize these problems are posed as suggestions for future research.