Novel Measurement and Monitoring Approaches for Surface and Near-Surface Soil Moisture

Abstract:

<span">The top inch of the earth’s soil surface is a very dynamic and important layer where physical and biogeochemical processes take place under extreme diurnal and seasonal moisture and temperature variations. Some of these critical surfaces include biocrusts, desert pavements, agricultural lands, mine tailings, hydrophobic forest soils, all of which can significantly impact environmental conditions at large-scales. Natural hazards associated with surface conditions include dust storms, post-fire erosion and flooding in addition to crop failure. Less obvious, though continually occurring, are microbial-induced gas emissions that are also significantly impacted by surface conditions. With so much at stake, it is surprising that in today’s technological world there are few if any sensors designed for monitoring the top few mm or cm of the soil surface. In particular, remotely sensed data is expected to provide near-real time surface conditions of our Earth, but we lack effective tools to measure and calibrate surface soil moisture. We are developing multiple methods for measurement and monitoring of surface and near-surface soil water content which include gravimetric as well as electromagnetic approaches. These novel measurement solutions and their prospects to improve soil surface water content determination will be presented.