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A Dielectric–Water Content Relationship for Sandy Volcanic Soils in New Zealand
Author(s) -
Tomer M. D.,
Clothier B. E.,
Vogeler I.,
Green S.
Publication year - 1999
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/sssaj1999.634777x
Subject(s) - loam , soil water , reflectometry , soil science , water content , soil texture , bulk density , mineralogy , soil test , volcano , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , time domain , geotechnical engineering , seismology , computer science , computer vision
To measure soil water content (θ) by time domain reflectometry (TDR), one must know the relationship between the soil's dielectric constant ( K a ) and θ. Our objective was to determine K a –θ calibrations for sandy volcanic soils on the North Island of New Zealand. We collected samples from 24 horizons and 6 soil profiles. The soils were sandy loam and loamy sand textured, with bulk densities between 0.55 and 1.34 Mg m −3 Samples were air‐dried and packed to their field bulk density in plastic boxes. Time domain reflectometry probes (100 mm long) were inserted, and TDR waveforms were recorded and analyzed. Water contents were increased in approximate steps of 0.05 m 3 m −3 volume to the liquid limit, which varied between 0.33 and 0.57 m 3 m −3 Samples were then submerged to obtain water contents as great as 0.646 m 3 m −3 Measured water contents were greater that those predicted by the Topp equation, but the differences varied according to soil texture. Pooled data from 17 of the samples provided a third‐order polynomial calibration with an R 2 of 0.977 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.026 m 3 m −3 A third‐order mixing model and a linear K a –θ expression gave greater mean errors. Although the calibration applied to a range of sandy volcanic soils, there were also two small groups of samples that showed distinct calibrations. These were coarser tephras, with at least 75% of particles >0.125 mm diam. by mass, and with bulk densities >1.0 Mg m −3