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Field Measurement of Soil‐Water Content by Gamma‐Ray Transmission Compensated for Temperature Fluctuations
Author(s) -
Reginato Robert J.,
Jackson Ray D.
Publication year - 1971
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/sssaj1971.03615995003500040017x
Subject(s) - water content , gravimetric analysis , detector , content (measure theory) , soil water , environmental science , materials science , transmission (telecommunications) , gamma ray , analytical chemistry (journal) , soil science , optics , chemistry , physics , environmental chemistry , nuclear physics , geology , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , electrical engineering , engineering
Soil‐water content under natural field conditions was measured with a gamma‐ray transmission technique that compensated for temperature changes. A spectrum stabilizer was needed for the nuclear counting equipment, and a knowledge of the relationship between peak count‐rate and the temperature of the gamma‐ray detector probe was required. Equipment and procedures to make field measurements of water content in 1‐cm‐thick soil layers are described. When the detector probe temperature varied 23C and gravimetric water content ranged from 0.021 to 0.186 gg ‐1 over a measurement period, the average deviation of measured versus calculated values of water content was 0.009 gg ‐1 .