Heidelberg 2015 – scientific programme
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UP: Fachverband Umweltphysik
UP 16: Meßtechnik
UP 16.4: Talk
Friday, March 27, 2015, 12:15–12:30, G/gHS
Sensing Environmental Water Content with Cosmic-Ray Neutrons — •Martin Schrön1, Markus Köhli2, Steffen Zacharias1, Peter Dietrich1, and Sascha Oswald3 — 1Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ Leipzig — 2Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg — 3Institut für Erd- und Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Potsdam
Cosmic-ray neutron sensing has become an increasingly accepted and unique method to monitor the effective soil water content at the field scale. The technology is famous for its low maintenance, non-invasiveness, continuous measurement, and most importantly, for its large footprint.
The method takes advantage of neutrons induced by cosmic radiation which are extraordinarily sensitive to hydrogen and behave like a hot gas in air. Information about nearby water sources quickly mixes in a domain of tens of hectares.
We investigate different contributions to the neutron signal and the influence of spatial structures and environmental conditions. Stationary detectors as well as mobile surveys with the Cosmic-Ray Rover reveal pros and cons of this state-of-the-art technology.