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Soil Detachment by Single Raindrops of Varying Kinetic Energy
Author(s) -
Sharma P.P.,
Gupta S.C.,
Rawls W.J.
Publication year - 1991
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/sssaj1991.03615995005500020001x
Subject(s) - kinetic energy , environmental science , chemistry , soil science , physics , classical mechanics
Soil detachment by raindrop impact initiates surface seal formation and interrill erosion processes. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of soil strength on soil detachability ( K d ) and threshold kinetic energy (KE o ) parameters of the single‐drop detachment model D = K d [KE − KE o ], where D is soil detachment from raindrop impact and KE is raindrop kinetic energy. Soil detachment by single raindrops with varying kinetic energy was measured on samples taken from Ap horizons of seven soils ranging in texture from loamy sand to clay. Different soil‐strength conditions were simulated by varying bulk density and soil matric potential. Soil strength was characterized by fall‐come measurements. Both K d and threshold kinetic energy needed to initiate soil detachment, KE o , depended on soil strength and clay content. In sandy and loam soils with low strength conditions, KE o was about 0.1 mJ; with higher strength conditions, KE o varied from 0.2 to 0.3 mJ. For clay soils with different strength conditions, KE o ranged from about 0.2 to 0.6 mJ. The relationships of K d and KE o with soil strength for the seven soils were grouped into three broad textural groups of sands, loams, and clays. Within each group, the K d decreased and the KE o increased with increase in soil strength.