SOIL WATER MEASUREMENT WITH AN INEXPENSIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETER

A small, portable, battery-powered, spectrophotometer was developed to measure soil water content rapidly. Soil water contents of 16 soils were related to the absorbance at 1.94 micrometers by a soil-methanol extract by the curvilinear equation: Absorbance equals K x (% soil water over 100+ 1.025 (% soil water)) + a. With the exception of Houston Black Clay, one equation could be used for all soils. Determination time for individual samples was approximately 15 min.

• Corporate Authors:

  Soil Science Society of America

  677 South Segoe Road
  Madison, WI  United States  53711
• Authors:
  • Bowers, S A
  • Smith, S J
  • Fisher, H D
  • Miller, G E
• Conference:
  • Soil Science Society of America, Proceedings
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 391-393
• Serial:
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue Number: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Absorptivity; Clay; Electric batteries; Moisture meters; Soil water; Spectrophotometers
• Old TRIS Terms: Black clay; Curvilinear regression
• Subject Areas: Energy; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00098655
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 10 1975 12:00AM