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An Instrument for in Situ Measurements of Soil Moisture Flow and Suction
Author(s) -
Cary J. W.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1968.03615995003200010002x
Subject(s) - water content , loam , pedotransfer function , soil science , tensiometer (surface tension) , hydraulic conductivity , environmental science , moisture , field capacity , silt , soil water , geotechnical engineering , geology , materials science , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , surface tension , composite material
Abstract A soil moisture flux transducer was built and tested in the laboratory under steady‐state conditions in a column of Portneuf silt loam soil. Initial data indicate that the instrument may be developed into a useful field research tool. Its principal advantage is that measurements of moisture flow may be made without any prior information concerning the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil. Rather, one needs to know only a soil moisture convergence factor which is dependent on the state of the soil and the design of the transducer. While this convergence factor is dependent upon the soil moisture content, the dependence appears to be nearly an order of magnitude less than the dependence of hydraulic conductivity on soil moisture content. It may prove possible to develop the unit for installation in the field to provide continuous measurements of the unsaturated soil moisture flow in the tensiometer range with errors no greater than those arising from the natural heterogeneity of the soil.