Articles | Volume 20, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1373-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1373-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Apr 2016
Research article |
| 07 Apr 2016
Estimating field-scale root zone soil moisture using the cosmic-ray neutron probe
Amber M. Peterson
Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Warren D. Helgason
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Andrew M. Ireson
Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Alan Barr, T. Andrew Black, Warren Helgason, Andrew Ireson, Bruce Johnson, J. Harry McCaughey, Zoran Nesic, Charmaine Hrynkiw, Amber Ross, and Newell Hedstrom
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-492, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-492, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
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The Boreal Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Sites comprise three forest and one wetland flux towers near the southern edge of the boreal forest in western Canada. The data, spanning 1997 to 2023, have been used to: characterize the exchanges of carbon, water and energy between boreal ecosystems and the atmosphere; improve climate, hydrologic, and ecosystem carbon-cycle models, and refine remote-sensing methods.
Phillip Harder, Warren D. Helgason, and John W. Pomeroy
The Cryosphere, 18, 3277–3295, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3277-2024, 2024
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Remote sensing the amount of water in snow (SWE) at high spatial resolutions is an unresolved challenge. In this work, we tested a drone-mounted passive gamma spectrometer to quantify SWE. We found that the gamma observations could resolve the average and spatial variability of SWE down to 22.5 m resolutions. Further, by combining drone gamma SWE and lidar snow depth we could estimate SWE at sub-metre resolutions which is a new opportunity to improve the measurement of shallow snowpacks.
Mennatullah T. Elrashidy, Andrew M. Ireson, and Saman Razavi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 4595–4608, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4595-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4595-2023, 2023
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Wetlands are important ecosystems that store carbon and play a vital role in the water cycle. However, hydrological computer models do not always represent wetlands and their interaction with groundwater accurately. We tested different possible ways to include groundwater–wetland interactions in these models. We found that the optimal method to include wetlands and groundwater in the models is reliant on the intended use of the models and the characteristics of the land and soil being studied.
Diogo Costa, Kyle Klenk, Wouter Knoben, Andrew Ireson, Raymond J. Spiteri, and Martyn Clark
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2787, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2787, 2023
Preprint archived
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This work helps improve water quality simulations in aquatic ecosystems through a new modeling concept, which we termed “OpenWQ”. It allows tailoring biogeochemistry calculations and integration with existing hydrological (water quantity) simulation tools. The integration is demonstrated with two hydrological models. The models were tested for different pollution scenarios. This paper helps improve interoperability, transparency, flexibility, and reproducibility in water quality simulations.
Zhe Zhang, Yanping Li, Fei Chen, Phillip Harder, Warren Helgason, James Famiglietti, Prasanth Valayamkunnath, Cenlin He, and Zhenhua Li
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 3809–3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3809-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3809-2023, 2023
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Crop models incorporated in Earth system models are essential to accurately simulate crop growth processes on Earth's surface and agricultural production. In this study, we aim to model the spring wheat in the Northern Great Plains, focusing on three aspects: (1) develop the wheat model at a point scale, (2) apply dynamic planting and harvest schedules, and (3) adopt a revised heat stress function. The results show substantial improvements and have great importance for agricultural production.
Andrew M. Ireson, Raymond J. Spiteri, Martyn P. Clark, and Simon A. Mathias
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 659–677, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-659-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-659-2023, 2023
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Richards' equation (RE) is used to describe the movement and storage of water in a soil profile and is a component of many hydrological and earth-system models. Solving RE numerically is challenging due to the non-linearities in the properties. Here, we present a simple but effective and mass-conservative solution to solving RE, which is ideal for teaching/learning purposes but also useful in prototype models that are used to explore alternative process representations.
Chris M. DeBeer, Howard S. Wheater, John W. Pomeroy, Alan G. Barr, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Jill F. Johnstone, Merritt R. Turetsky, Ronald E. Stewart, Masaki Hayashi, Garth van der Kamp, Shawn Marshall, Elizabeth Campbell, Philip Marsh, Sean K. Carey, William L. Quinton, Yanping Li, Saman Razavi, Aaron Berg, Jeffrey J. McDonnell, Christopher Spence, Warren D. Helgason, Andrew M. Ireson, T. Andrew Black, Mohamed Elshamy, Fuad Yassin, Bruce Davison, Allan Howard, Julie M. Thériault, Kevin Shook, Michael N. Demuth, and Alain Pietroniro
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1849–1882, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1849-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1849-2021, 2021
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This article examines future changes in land cover and hydrological cycling across the interior of western Canada under climate conditions projected for the 21st century. Key insights into the mechanisms and interactions of Earth system and hydrological process responses are presented, and this understanding is used together with model application to provide a synthesis of future change. This has allowed more scientifically informed projections than have hitherto been available.
Phillip Harder, John W. Pomeroy, and Warren D. Helgason
The Cryosphere, 14, 1919–1935, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1919-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1919-2020, 2020
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Unmanned-aerial-vehicle-based (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques have the ability to map snow depths in open areas. Here UAV lidar and SfM are compared to map sub-canopy snowpacks. Snow depth accuracy was assessed with data from sites in western Canada collected in 2019. It is demonstrated that UAV lidar can measure the sub-canopy snow depth at a high accuracy, while UAV-SfM cannot. UAV lidar promises to quantify snow–vegetation interactions at unprecedented accuracy and resolution.
Zhe Zhang, Yanping Li, Michael Barlage, Fei Chen, Gonzalo Miguez-Macho, Andrew Ireson, and Zhenhua Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 655–672, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-655-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-655-2020, 2020
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The groundwater regime in cold regions is strongly impacted by the soil freeze–thaw processes and semiarid climatic conditions. In this paper, we incorporate groundwater dynamics in the Noah-MP land surface model to simulate the water exchange between the unsaturated soil zone and an unconfined aquifer in the Prairie Pothole Region. The water table dynamics are reasonably simulated. The water budget of groundwater aquifer under current and future climate are also investigated.
Edward K. P. Bam, Rosa Brannen, Sujata Budhathoki, Andrew M. Ireson, Chris Spence, and Garth van der Kamp
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 11, 553–563, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-553-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-553-2019, 2019
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The paper highlights the data contained in the database for the Prairie research site, St. Denis National Wildlife Research Area, at Saskatchewan, Canada. The database includes atmosphere, snow surveys, pond, soil, groundwater, and water isotopes collected on an intermittent basis between 1968 and 2018. The metadata table provides location information, information about the full range of measurements carried out on each parameter, and GPS locations relevant for interpretation of the data.
Phillip Harder, John W. Pomeroy, and Warren D. Helgason
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1–17, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1-2019, 2019
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As snow cover becomes patchy during snowmelt, energy is advected from warm snow-free surfaces to cold snow-covered surfaces. This paper proposes a simple sensible and latent heat advection model for snowmelt situations that can be coupled to one-dimensional energy balance snowmelt models. The model demonstrates that sensible and latent heat advection fluxes can compensate for one another, especially in early melt periods.
Xicai Pan, Warren Helgason, Andrew Ireson, and Howard Wheater
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5401–5413, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5401-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5401-2017, 2017
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In this paper we present a case study from a heterogeneous pasture site in the Canadian prairies, where we have quantified the various components of the water balance on the field scale, and critically examine some of the simplifying assumptions which are often invoked when applying water budget approaches in applied hydrology. We highlight challenges caused by lateral fluxes of blowing snow and ambiguous partitioning of snow melt water into runoff and infiltration.
Maxime Litt, Jean-Emmanuel Sicart, Delphine Six, Patrick Wagnon, and Warren D. Helgason
The Cryosphere, 11, 971–987, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-971-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-971-2017, 2017
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Climate variations might change the frequency of typical weather conditions. We present a weather pattern classification as an useful tool for identifying changing glacier wind regimes. We show the intensity of turbulent heat exchanges between ice and air changes with these regimes, as well as the importance of discrepancies between bulk-aerodynamic and eddy-covariance fluxes. The results suggest these discrepancies influence melt estimates from surface energy balance calculations.
Phillip Harder, Michael Schirmer, John Pomeroy, and Warren Helgason
The Cryosphere, 10, 2559–2571, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2559-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2559-2016, 2016
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This paper assesses the accuracy of high-resolution snow depth maps generated from unmanned aerial vehicle imagery. Snow depth maps are generated from differencing snow-covered and snow-free digital surface models produced from structure from motion techniques. On average, the estimated snow depth error was 10 cm. This technique is therefore useful for observing snow accumulation and melt in deep snow but is restricted to observing peak snow accumulation in shallow snow.
Xicai Pan, Daqing Yang, Yanping Li, Alan Barr, Warren Helgason, Masaki Hayashi, Philip Marsh, John Pomeroy, and Richard J. Janowicz
The Cryosphere, 10, 2347–2360, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2347-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2347-2016, 2016
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This study demonstrates a robust procedure for accumulating precipitation gauge measurements and provides an analysis of bias corrections of precipitation measurements across experimental sites in different ecoclimatic regions of western Canada. It highlights the need for and importance of precipitation bias corrections at both research sites and operational networks for water balance assessment and the validation of global/regional climate–hydrology models.
M. Litt, J.-E. Sicart, and W. Helgason
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3229–3250, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3229-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3229-2015, 2015
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We deal with surface turbulent flux calculations on a tropical glacier and analyse the related errors. We use data from two eddy-covariance systems and wind speed and temperature profiles collected during a 2-month measurement campaign undertaken within the atmospheric surface layer of the glacier. We show the largest error sources are related to roughness length uncertainties and to nonstationarity of the flow induced by the interaction of outer-layer eddies with the surface-layer flow.
U. Nachshon, A. Ireson, G. van der Kamp, S. R. Davies, and H. S. Wheater
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 1251–1263, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-1251-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-1251-2014, 2014
A. M. Ireson and A. P. Butler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 2083–2096, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-2083-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-2083-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Vadose Zone Hydrology | Techniques and Approaches: Instruments and observation techniques
Technical note: A fast and reproducible autosampler for direct vapor equilibration isotope measurements
Effects of different climatic conditions on soil water storage patterns
High-resolution operational soil moisture monitoring for forests in central Germany
Technical Note: Revisiting the general calibration of cosmic-ray neutron sensors to estimate soil water content
Coupled hydrogeophysical inversion of an artificial infiltration experiment monitored with ground-penetrating radar: synthetic demonstration
Technical note: Discrete in situ vapor sampling for subsequent lab-based water stable isotope analysis
A change in perspective: downhole cosmic-ray neutron sensing for the estimation of soil moisture
Impacts of soil management and climate on saturated and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity: analyses of the Open Tension-disk Infiltrometer Meta-database (OTIM)
Physics-informed machine learning for understanding rock moisture dynamics in a sandstone cave
Relationship of seasonal variations in drip water δ13CDIC, δ18O, and trace elements with surface and physical cave conditions of La Vallina cave, NW Spain
In situ estimation of soil hydraulic and hydrodispersive properties by inversion of electromagnetic induction measurements and soil hydrological modeling
Towards disentangling heterogeneous soil moisture patterns in cosmic-ray neutron sensor footprints
The International Soil Moisture Network: serving Earth system science for over a decade
Technical note: Evaporating water is different from bulk soil water in δ2H and δ18O and has implications for evaporation calculation
Technical note: Unresolved aspects of the direct vapor equilibration method for stable isotope analysis (δ18O, δ2H) of matrix-bound water: unifying protocols through empirical and mathematical scrutiny
Spatio-temporal soil moisture retrieval at the catchment scale using a dense network of cosmic-ray neutron sensors
Deep desiccation of soils observed by long-term high-resolution measurements on a large inclined lysimeter
A novel analytical approach for the simultaneous measurement of nitrate and dissolved organic carbon in soil water
Exploring the regolith with electrical resistivity tomography in large-scale surveys: electrode spacing-related issues and possibility
Soil dielectric characterization during freeze–thaw transitions using L-band coaxial and soil moisture probes
Hydrological signals in tilt and gravity residuals at Conrad Observatory (Austria)
New measures of deep soil water recharge during the vegetation restoration process in semi-arid regions of northern China
Estimation of subsurface soil moisture from surface soil moisture in cold mountainous areas
Investigating unproductive water losses from irrigated agricultural crops in the humid tropics through analyses of stable isotopes of water
Pacific climate reflected in Waipuna Cave drip water hydrochemistry
Field observations of soil hydrological flow path evolution over 10 millennia
A proposed method for estimating interception from near-surface soil moisture response
Controls of fluorescent tracer retention by soils and sediments
Reflection tomography of time-lapse GPR data for studying dynamic unsaturated flow phenomena
Effects of preferential flow on snowmelt partitioning and groundwater recharge in frozen soils
Spatio-temporal relevance and controls of preferential flow at the landscape scale
Real-time monitoring of nitrate in soils as a key for optimization of agricultural productivity and prevention of groundwater pollution
A soil non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) flushing laboratory experiment based on measuring the dielectric properties of soil–organic mixtures via time domain reflectometry (TDR)
The value of satellite remote sensing soil moisture data and the DISPATCH algorithm in irrigation fields
Estimating epikarst water storage by time-lapse surface-to-depth gravity measurements
Inter-laboratory comparison of cryogenic water extraction systems for stable isotope analysis of soil water
Preferential flow systems amended with biogeochemical components: imaging of a two-dimensional study
Imaging groundwater infiltration dynamics in the karst vadose zone with long-term ERT monitoring
Calibrating electromagnetic induction conductivities with time-domain reflectometry measurements
Multiscale soil moisture estimates using static and roving cosmic-ray soil moisture sensors
Field-scale water balance closure in seasonally frozen conditions
Improving calibration and validation of cosmic-ray neutron sensors in the light of spatial sensitivity
Is annual recharge coefficient a valid concept in arid and semi-arid regions?
Transport and degradation of perchlorate in deep vadose zone: implications from direct observations during bioremediation treatment
Monitoring soil moisture from middle to high elevation in Switzerland: set-up and first results from the SOMOMOUNT network
Experimental study on retardation of a heavy NAPL vapor in partially saturated porous media
Repeated electromagnetic induction measurements for mapping soil moisture at the field scale: validation with data from a wireless soil moisture monitoring network
ENSO–cave drip water hydrochemical relationship: a 7-year dataset from south-eastern Australia
Incorporation of globally available datasets into the roving cosmic-ray neutron probe method for estimating field-scale soil water content
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Jonas Pyschik, Stefan Seeger, Barbara Herbstritt, and Markus Weiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 525–534, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-525-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-525-2025, 2025
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We developed a device (named VapAuSa) that automates stable water isotope analysis. Stable water isotopes are a natural tracer that many researchers use to investigate water (re-)distribution processes in environmental systems. VapAuSa helps to analyse such environmental samples by automating a formerly tedious manual process, allowing for higher sample throughput. This enables larger sampling campaigns, as more samples can be processed before reaching their limited storage time.
Annelie Ehrhardt, Jannis Groh, and Horst H. Gerke
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 313–334, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-313-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-313-2025, 2025
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Soil water storage (SWS) describes the amount of water in the root zone of plants accessible for crop growth. SWS underlies annual cycles with maximum values in winter and minimum values in summer. For a soil that was transferred from a drier to a more humid climate we found that the maximum peak of SWS occurs earlier every year. This can be explained by an earlier start of the vegetation period. It is a first indication that the ability of soils to store water is affected by different climate.
Ivan Vorobevskii, Thi Thanh Luong, Rico Kronenberg, and Rainer Petzold
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3567–3595, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3567-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3567-2024, 2024
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An introduced high-resolution soil moisture monitoring framework combines a 1D water balance model, real-time meteorological data, and a national soil database to present point-based operational data with a user-friendly web platform. Its significance lies in the improvement of forest management by making informed, local-scale decisions crucial for mitigating climate change impacts. In the paper, we present a technical description and validation of the framework and showcase its features.
Maik Heistermann, Till Francke, Martin Schrön, and Sascha E. Oswald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 989–1000, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-989-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-989-2024, 2024
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Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) is a non-invasive technique used to obtain estimates of soil water content (SWC) at a horizontal footprint of around 150 m and a vertical penetration depth of up to 30 cm. However, typical CRNS applications require the local calibration of a function which converts neutron counts to SWC. As an alternative, we propose a generalized function as a way to avoid the use of local reference measurements of SWC and hence a major source of uncertainty.
Rohianuu Moua, Nolwenn Lesparre, Jean-François Girard, Benjamin Belfort, François Lehmann, and Anis Younes
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 4317–4334, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4317-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4317-2023, 2023
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Hydraulic properties of soil include the ability of water to move through the soil and the amount of water that is held in the soil in dry or wet conditions. In this work, we further investigate a protocol used to evaluate such hydraulic properties. We propose a modified version of the protocol, with which we show (i) how the data obtained with this protocol are influenced by the soil hydraulic properties and (ii) how one can use it to estimate these properties.
Barbara Herbstritt, Benjamin Gralher, Stefan Seeger, Michael Rinderer, and Markus Weiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3701–3718, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3701-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3701-2023, 2023
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We present a method to collect water vapor samples into bags in the field without an in-field analyser, followed by isotope analysis in the lab. This new method resolves even fine-scaled natural isotope variations. It combines low-cost and lightweight components for maximum spatial and temporal flexibility regarding environmental setups. Hence, it allows for sampling even in terrains that are rather difficult to access, enabling future extended isotope datasets in soil sciences and ecohydrology.
Daniel Rasche, Jannis Weimar, Martin Schrön, Markus Köhli, Markus Morgner, Andreas Güntner, and Theresa Blume
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3059–3082, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3059-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3059-2023, 2023
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We introduce passive downhole cosmic-ray neutron sensing (d-CRNS) as an approach for the non-invasive estimation of soil moisture in deeper layers of the unsaturated zone which exceed the observational window of above-ground CRNS applications. Neutron transport simulations are used to derive mathematical descriptions and transfer functions, while experimental measurements in an existing groundwater observation well illustrate the feasibility and applicability of the approach.
Guillaume Blanchy, Lukas Albrecht, Gilberto Bragato, Sarah Garré, Nicholas Jarvis, and John Koestel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2703–2724, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2703-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2703-2023, 2023
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We collated the Open Tension-disk Infiltrometer Meta-database (OTIM). We analysed topsoil hydraulic conductivities at supply tensions between 0 and 100 mm of 466 data entries. We found indications of different flow mechanisms at saturation and at tensions >20 mm. Climate factors were better correlated with near-saturated hydraulic conductivities than soil properties. Land use, tillage system, soil compaction and experimenter bias significantly influenced K to a similar degree to soil properties.
Kai-Gao Ouyang, Xiao-Wei Jiang, Gang Mei, Hong-Bin Yan, Ran Niu, Li Wan, and Yijian Zeng
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2579–2590, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2579-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2579-2023, 2023
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Our knowledge on sources and dynamics of rock moisture is limited. By using frequency domain reflectometry (FDR), we monitored rock moisture in a cave. The results of an explainable deep learning model reveal that the direct source of rock moisture responsible for weathering in the studied cave is vapour, not infiltrating precipitation. A physics-informed deep learning model, which uses variables controlling vapor condensation as model inputs, leads to accurate rock water content predictions.
Oliver Kost, Saúl González-Lemos, Laura Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Jakub Sliwinski, Laura Endres, Negar Haghipour, and Heather Stoll
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2227–2255, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2227-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2227-2023, 2023
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Cave monitoring studies including cave drip water are unique opportunities to sample water which has percolated through the soil and rock. The change in drip water chemistry is resolved over the course of 16 months, inferring seasonal and hydrological variations in soil and karst processes at the water–air and water–rock interface. Such data sets improve the understanding of hydrological and hydrochemical processes and ultimately advance the interpretation of geochemical stalagmite records.
Giovanna Dragonetti, Mohammad Farzamian, Angelo Basile, Fernando Monteiro Santos, and Antonio Coppola
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5119–5136, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5119-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5119-2022, 2022
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Soil hydraulic and hydrodispersive properties are necessary for modeling water and solute fluxes in agricultural and environmental systems. Despite the major efforts in developing methods (e.g., lab-based, pedotransfer functions), their characterization at applicative scales remains an imperative requirement. Thus, this paper proposes a noninvasive in situ method integrating electromagnetic induction and hydrological modeling to estimate soil hydraulic and transport properties at the plot scale.
Daniel Rasche, Markus Köhli, Martin Schrön, Theresa Blume, and Andreas Güntner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6547–6566, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6547-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6547-2021, 2021
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Cosmic-ray neutron sensing provides areal average soil moisture measurements. We investigated how distinct differences in spatial soil moisture patterns influence the soil moisture estimates and present two approaches to improve the estimate of soil moisture close to the instrument by reducing the influence of soil moisture further afield. Additionally, we show that the heterogeneity of soil moisture can be assessed based on the relationship of different neutron energies.
Wouter Dorigo, Irene Himmelbauer, Daniel Aberer, Lukas Schremmer, Ivana Petrakovic, Luca Zappa, Wolfgang Preimesberger, Angelika Xaver, Frank Annor, Jonas Ardö, Dennis Baldocchi, Marco Bitelli, Günter Blöschl, Heye Bogena, Luca Brocca, Jean-Christophe Calvet, J. Julio Camarero, Giorgio Capello, Minha Choi, Michael C. Cosh, Nick van de Giesen, Istvan Hajdu, Jaakko Ikonen, Karsten H. Jensen, Kasturi Devi Kanniah, Ileen de Kat, Gottfried Kirchengast, Pankaj Kumar Rai, Jenni Kyrouac, Kristine Larson, Suxia Liu, Alexander Loew, Mahta Moghaddam, José Martínez Fernández, Cristian Mattar Bader, Renato Morbidelli, Jan P. Musial, Elise Osenga, Michael A. Palecki, Thierry Pellarin, George P. Petropoulos, Isabella Pfeil, Jarrett Powers, Alan Robock, Christoph Rüdiger, Udo Rummel, Michael Strobel, Zhongbo Su, Ryan Sullivan, Torbern Tagesson, Andrej Varlagin, Mariette Vreugdenhil, Jeffrey Walker, Jun Wen, Fred Wenger, Jean Pierre Wigneron, Mel Woods, Kun Yang, Yijian Zeng, Xiang Zhang, Marek Zreda, Stephan Dietrich, Alexander Gruber, Peter van Oevelen, Wolfgang Wagner, Klaus Scipal, Matthias Drusch, and Roberto Sabia
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5749–5804, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5749-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5749-2021, 2021
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The International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) is a community-based open-access data portal for soil water measurements taken at the ground and is accessible at https://ismn.earth. Over 1000 scientific publications and thousands of users have made use of the ISMN. The scope of this paper is to inform readers about the data and functionality of the ISMN and to provide a review of the scientific progress facilitated through the ISMN with the scope to shape future research and operations.
Hongxiu Wang, Jingjing Jin, Buli Cui, Bingcheng Si, Xiaojun Ma, and Mingyi Wen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5399–5413, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5399-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5399-2021, 2021
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Evaporation led to progressively more heavy-isotope-enriched bulk soil water (BW) following the precipitation/irrigation of heavy-isotope-depleted new water but causes progressively more heavy-isotope-depleted BW following irrigation of heavy-isotope-enriched new water. The results indicated that δ2H and δ18O in evaporating water (EW) were similar to new water and differed from BW. However, the evaporative water loss calculated from BW did not differ significantly from that of EW.
Benjamin Gralher, Barbara Herbstritt, and Markus Weiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5219–5235, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5219-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5219-2021, 2021
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We scrutinized the quickest currently available method for stable isotope analysis of matrix-bound water. Simulating common procedures, we demonstrated the limits of certain materials currently used and identified a reliable and cost-efficient alternative. Further, we calculated the optimum proportions of important protocol aspects critical for precise and accurate analyses. Our unifying protocol suggestions increase data quality and comparability as well as the method's general applicability.
Maik Heistermann, Till Francke, Martin Schrön, and Sascha E. Oswald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4807–4824, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4807-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4807-2021, 2021
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Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) is a powerful technique for retrieving representative estimates of soil moisture in footprints extending over hectometres in the horizontal and decimetres in the vertical. This study, however, demonstrates the potential of CRNS to obtain spatio-temporal patterns of soil moisture beyond isolated footprints. To that end, we analyse data from a unique observational campaign that featured a dense network of more than 20 neutron detectors in an area of just 1 km2.
Markus Merk, Nadine Goeppert, and Nico Goldscheider
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3519–3538, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3519-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3519-2021, 2021
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Soil moisture levels have decreased significantly over the past 2 decades. This decrease is not uniformly distributed over the observation period. The largest changes occur at tipping points during years of extreme drought, after which soil moisture levels reach significantly different alternate stable states. Not only the overall trend in soil moisture is affected, but also the seasonal dynamics.
Elad Yeshno, Ofer Dahan, Shoshana Bernstain, and Shlomi Arnon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2159–2168, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2159-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2159-2021, 2021
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In this research, we present a novel approach, enabling the measurement of nitrate concentrations in natural soil porewater containing natural soil dissolved organic carbon. This method can be used as the basis onto which an affordable and miniaturized nitrate monitoring sensor for soils can be developed. This sensor can play a significant role in reducing nitrate pollution in water resources, optimizing fertilizers application during agricultural activity and decreasing food production costs.
Laurent Gourdol, Rémi Clément, Jérôme Juilleret, Laurent Pfister, and Christophe Hissler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1785–1812, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1785-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1785-2021, 2021
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Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a remarkable tool for characterizing the regolith, but its use over large areas remains cumbersome due to the requirement of small electrode spacing (ES). In this study we document the issues of using oversized ESs and propose a new approach to overcome this limitation. We demonstrate that our protocol significantly improves the accuracy of ERT profiles using large ES and offers a cost-effective means for carrying out large-scale surveys.
Alex Mavrovic, Renato Pardo Lara, Aaron Berg, François Demontoux, Alain Royer, and Alexandre Roy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1117–1131, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1117-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1117-2021, 2021
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This paper presents a new probe that measures soil microwave permittivity in the frequency range of satellite L-band sensors. The probe capacities will allow for validation and calibration of the models used to estimate landscape physical properties from raw microwave satellite datasets. Our results show important discrepancies between model estimates and instrument measurements that will need to be addressed.
Bruno Meurers, Gábor Papp, Hannu Ruotsalainen, Judit Benedek, and Roman Leonhardt
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 217–236, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-217-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-217-2021, 2021
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Gravity and tilt time series acquired at Conrad Observatory (Austria) reflect gravity and deformation associated with short- and long-term environmental processes, revealing a complex water transport process after heavy rain and rapid snowmelt. Gravity residuals are sensitive to the Newtonian effect of water mass transport. Tilt residual anomalies capture strain–tilt coupling effects due to surface or subsurface deformation from precipitation or pressure changes in the adjacent fracture system.
Yiben Cheng, Xinle Li, Yunqi Wang, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, and Qunou Jiang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 5875–5890, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5875-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5875-2020, 2020
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The Three North Forest Program has produced a vast area of lined forest in semi-arid regions, which consumes a large amount of water resources. This study uses a newly designed lysimeter to measure water distribution without destroying the in situ vegetation soil structure. It addresses the shortcomings of a traditional lysimeter, in terms of changing the in situ soil structure and destroying the vegetation root system, and the shortcomings of high costs and inconvenient installation.
Jie Tian, Zhibo Han, Heye Reemt Bogena, Johan Alexander Huisman, Carsten Montzka, Baoqing Zhang, and Chansheng He
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 4659–4674, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4659-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4659-2020, 2020
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Large-scale profile soil moisture (SM) is important for water resource management, but its estimation is a challenge. Thus, based on in situ SM observations in a cold mountain, a strong relationship between the surface SM and subsurface SM is found. Both the subsurface SM of 10–30 cm and the profile SM of 0–70 cm can be estimated from the surface SM of 0–10 cm accurately. By combing with the satellite product, we improve the large-scale profile SM estimation in the cold mountains finally.
Amani Mahindawansha, Christoph Külls, Philipp Kraft, and Lutz Breuer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3627–3642, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3627-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3627-2020, 2020
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Stable isotopes of soil water are an effective tool to reveal soil hydrological processes in irrigated agricultural fields. Flow mechanisms and isotopic patterns of soil water in the soil matrix differ, depending on the crop and irrigation practices. Isotope data supported the fact that unproductive water losses via evaporation can be reduced by introducing dry seasonal crops to the crop rotation system.
Cinthya Nava-Fernandez, Adam Hartland, Fernando Gázquez, Ola Kwiecien, Norbert Marwan, Bethany Fox, John Hellstrom, Andrew Pearson, Brittany Ward, Amanda French, David A. Hodell, Adrian Immenhauser, and Sebastian F. M. Breitenbach
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3361–3380, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3361-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3361-2020, 2020
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Speleothems are powerful archives of past climate for understanding modern local hydrology and its relation to regional circulation patterns. We use a 3-year monitoring dataset to test the sensitivity of Waipuna Cave to seasonal changes and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. Drip water data suggest a fast response to rainfall events; its elemental composition reflects a seasonal cycle and ENSO variability. Waipuna Cave speleothems have a high potential for past ENSO reconstructions.
Anne Hartmann, Ekaterina Semenova, Markus Weiler, and Theresa Blume
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3271–3288, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3271-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3271-2020, 2020
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Our field observation-based examination of flow path evolution, soil formation, and vegetation succession across 10 millennia shows how water flow paths and subsurface water storage are linked to the organization of evolving landscapes.
The increase found in water storage and preferential flow paths with increasing soil age shows the effect of the complex interaction of vegetation and soil development on flow paths, water balance, and runoff formation during landscape evolution.
Subodh Acharya, Daniel McLaughlin, David Kaplan, and Matthew J. Cohen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1859–1870, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1859-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1859-2020, 2020
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Interception is the storage and subsequent evaporation of rain by vegetation and surface litter. Quantifying interception is critical for understanding the water balance, but it can be difficult and costly to measure. We developed an approach to estimate interception using automated soil moisture measurements during rainfall events. Results suggest that interception can be estimated using soil moisture data, leading to potential cost savings and logistical advantages over conventional methods.
Marcus Bork, Jens Lange, Markus Graf-Rosenfellner, and Friederike Lang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 977–989, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-977-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-977-2020, 2020
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Fluorescent tracers such as uranine and sulforhodamine B are useful tools to gain knowledge about water and solute fluxes in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this study we systematically investigated the influence of important soil properties (pH, organic carbon content and texture) on tracer adsorption in soils and sediments. These properties also determine whether the tracers in the respective soil behave conservatively or non-conservatively.
Adam R. Mangel, Stephen M. J. Moysey, and John Bradford
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 159–167, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-159-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-159-2020, 2020
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Water flows through soils in an incredibly complex network of pathways. Understanding these pathways is critical to sustainable use of water resources. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can image water in near-surface soils the same way an X-ray is used to image the human body. Utilizing innovative ways of collecting and processing the GPR data, we can image complex water flow in space and through time, which allows for the continued development of our ideas and models of subsurface water flow.
Aaron A. Mohammed, Igor Pavlovskii, Edwin E. Cey, and Masaki Hayashi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 5017–5031, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-5017-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-5017-2019, 2019
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In cold regions, the permeability of the frozen ground is an important factor influencing a watershed's response to snowmelt. This study highlights the effects of preferential flow in frozen soils on snowmelt redistribution and groundwater recharge in seasonally frozen landscapes.
Dominic Demand, Theresa Blume, and Markus Weiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 4869–4889, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4869-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4869-2019, 2019
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This study presents an analysis of 135 soil moisture profiles for identification of the spatial and temporal preferential flow occurrence in a complex landscape. Especially dry conditions and high rainfall intensities were found to increase preferential flow occurrence in soils. This results in a seasonal pattern of preferential flow with a higher occurrence in summer. During this time grasslands showed increased flow velocities, whereas forest sites exhibited a higher amount of bypass flow.
Elad Yeshno, Shlomi Arnon, and Ofer Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3997–4010, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3997-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3997-2019, 2019
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Lack of adequate instrumentation for monitoring nutrient availability in agricultural soils leads in most cases to over-application of fertilizers, often resulting in groundwater pollution. This research presents a novel approach for real-time, in situ monitoring of nitrate in soils using absorption spectroscopy techniques while preventing interference from dissolved organic carbon. Column experiments with this system resulted in accurate nitrate measurements in three different soil types.
Alessandro Comegna, Antonio Coppola, Giovanna Dragonetti, and Angelo Sommella
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3593–3602, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3593-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3593-2019, 2019
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We carried out a series of laboratory-controlled experiments in order to simulate different scenarios of practical interest aiming to analyze, from a dielectric point of view, the influence of different washing solutions on non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) removal. Furthermore, on the basis of the results obtained, we validated a dielectric mixing model for predicting the volumetric amounts of NAPL (θNAPL) within the contaminated soil as the decontamination process progressed.
Mireia Fontanet, Daniel Fernàndez-Garcia, and Francesc Ferrer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 5889–5900, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-5889-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-5889-2018, 2018
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One of the main objectives of remote sensing methodology is to downscale soil moisture to improve irrigation management. The DISPATCH algorithm is able to measure soil moisture at 1 km resolution using SMOS and MODIS data. In this work DISPATCH has been evaluated with soil moisture sensors, under heterogeneous conditions where local irrigation is applied. Results show that DISPATCH is not sensitive when local irrigation is applied even at low resolution.
Cédric Champollion, Sabrina Deville, Jean Chéry, Erik Doerflinger, Nicolas Le Moigne, Roger Bayer, Philippe Vernant, and Naomi Mazzilli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3825–3839, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3825-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3825-2018, 2018
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Gravity monitoring at the surface and in situ (in caves) has been conducted in a karst hydro-system in the south of France (Larzac plateau). Subsurface water storage is evidenced with a spatial variability probably associated with lithology differences and confirmed by MRS measurements. Gravity allows transient water storage to be estimated on the seasonal scale.
Natalie Orlowski, Lutz Breuer, Nicolas Angeli, Pascal Boeckx, Christophe Brumbt, Craig S. Cook, Maren Dubbert, Jens Dyckmans, Barbora Gallagher, Benjamin Gralher, Barbara Herbstritt, Pedro Hervé-Fernández, Christophe Hissler, Paul Koeniger, Arnaud Legout, Chandelle Joan Macdonald, Carlos Oyarzún, Regine Redelstein, Christof Seidler, Rolf Siegwolf, Christine Stumpp, Simon Thomsen, Markus Weiler, Christiane Werner, and Jeffrey J. McDonnell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3619–3637, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3619-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3619-2018, 2018
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To extract water from soils for isotopic analysis, cryogenic water extraction is the most widely used removal technique. This work presents results from a worldwide laboratory intercomparison test of cryogenic extraction systems. Our results showed large differences in retrieved isotopic signatures among participating laboratories linked to interactions between soil type and properties, system setup, extraction efficiency, extraction system leaks, and each lab’s internal accuracy.
Ashley R. Pales, Biting Li, Heather M. Clifford, Shyla Kupis, Nimisha Edayilam, Dawn Montgomery, Wei-zhen Liang, Mine Dogan, Nishanth Tharayil, Nicole Martinez, Stephen Moysey, Brian Powell, and Christophe J. G. Darnault
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2487–2509, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2487-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2487-2018, 2018
Arnaud Watlet, Olivier Kaufmann, Antoine Triantafyllou, Amaël Poulain, Jonathan E. Chambers, Philip I. Meldrum, Paul B. Wilkinson, Vincent Hallet, Yves Quinif, Michel Van Ruymbeke, and Michel Van Camp
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1563–1592, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1563-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1563-2018, 2018
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Understanding water infiltration in karst regions is crucial as the aquifers they host provide drinkable water for a quarter of the world's population. We present a non-invasive tool to image hydrological processes in karst systems. At our field site, the injection of electrical current in the ground, repeated daily over a 3-year period, allowed imaging changes in the groundwater content. We show that specific geological layers control seasonal to rainfall-triggered water infiltration dynamics.
Giovanna Dragonetti, Alessandro Comegna, Ali Ajeel, Gian Piero Deidda, Nicola Lamaddalena, Giuseppe Rodriguez, Giulio Vignoli, and Antonio Coppola
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1509–1523, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1509-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1509-2018, 2018
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The paper aims to infer the bulk electrical conductivity distribution in the root zone from EMI readings. TDR measurements were used as ground-truth data to evaluate the goodness of the estimations by EMI inversion. The approach is based on the mean and standard deviation of the EMI and TDR series. It looks for the physical reasons for the differences between EMI- and TDR-based electrical conductivity and provides a correction of the bias based on the statistical sources of the discrepancies.
David McJannet, Aaron Hawdon, Brett Baker, Luigi Renzullo, and Ross Searle
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 6049–6067, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6049-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6049-2017, 2017
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Satellite and broad-scale model estimates of soil moisture have improved in resolution. However, validation and calibration of these products has been limited because of a lack of observations on corresponding scales. We use a mobile soil moisture monitoring platform, known as the
rover, to derive soil moisture at 9 km and 1 km resolution. We describe methods to calculate soil moisture and present results from multiple surveys. The products produced are well suited to validation studies.
Xicai Pan, Warren Helgason, Andrew Ireson, and Howard Wheater
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5401–5413, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5401-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5401-2017, 2017
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In this paper we present a case study from a heterogeneous pasture site in the Canadian prairies, where we have quantified the various components of the water balance on the field scale, and critically examine some of the simplifying assumptions which are often invoked when applying water budget approaches in applied hydrology. We highlight challenges caused by lateral fluxes of blowing snow and ambiguous partitioning of snow melt water into runoff and infiltration.
Martin Schrön, Markus Köhli, Lena Scheiffele, Joost Iwema, Heye R. Bogena, Ling Lv, Edoardo Martini, Gabriele Baroni, Rafael Rosolem, Jannis Weimar, Juliane Mai, Matthias Cuntz, Corinna Rebmann, Sascha E. Oswald, Peter Dietrich, Ulrich Schmidt, and Steffen Zacharias
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5009–5030, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5009-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5009-2017, 2017
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A field-scale average of near-surface water content can be sensed by cosmic-ray neutron detectors. To interpret, calibrate, and validate the integral signal, it is important to account for its sensitivity to heterogeneous patterns like dry or wet spots. We show how point samples contribute to the neutron signal based on their depth and distance from the detector. This approach robustly improves the sensor performance and data consistency, and even reveals otherwise hidden hydrological features.
Yiben Cheng, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, Hongzhong Dang, and Wei Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5031–5042, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5031-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5031-2017, 2017
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This study uses a newly designed lysimeter to study three consecutive years (2013–2015) of deep soil recharge (DSR) underneath bare sand land on the eastern margin of Mu Us Sandy Land in the Ordos Basin of China. The objective is to identify the characteristics of the DSR distribution and the factors affecting the DSR distribution. Specifically, we would like to examine if the commonly used recharge coefficient concept can be applied for arid and semi-arid regions.
Ofer Dahan, Idan Katz, Lior Avishai, and Zeev Ronen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4011–4020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4011-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4011-2017, 2017
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In situ bioremediation of a perchlorate-contaminated vadose zone was conducted through infiltration of electron-donor-enriched water. A vadose zone monitoring system (VMS) provided real-time tracking of the hydraulic and chemical conditions across the unsaturated zone. Variations in concentration profiles of perchlorate, chloride, DOC and bromide in the vadose zone pore water showed limited migration capacity of biologically consumable carbon and significant mobilization of perchlorate.
Cécile Pellet and Christian Hauck
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3199–3220, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3199-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3199-2017, 2017
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This paper presents a detailed description of the new Swiss soil moisture monitoring network SOMOMOUNT, which comprises six stations distributed along an elevation gradient ranging from 1205 to 3410 m. The liquid soil moisture (LSM) data collected during the first 3 years are discussed with regard to their soil type and climate dependency as well as their altitudinal distribution. The elevation dependency of the LSM was found to be non-linear with distinct dynamics at high and low elevation.
Simon Matthias Kleinknecht, Holger Class, and Jürgen Braun
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1381–1396, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1381-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1381-2017, 2017
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Retardation of migrating contaminant vapors in the subsurface may mitigate groundwater contamination or vapor intrusion into buildings. An experimental investigation was conducted to quantify the retardation of carbon disulfide (CS2) vapor in moist porous media based on the analysis of concentration breakthrough curves. Findings linked retardation to types of porous media and water saturation. Moreover, the first evidence of biodegradation of the CS2 vapor was found in the column experiments.
Edoardo Martini, Ulrike Werban, Steffen Zacharias, Marco Pohle, Peter Dietrich, and Ute Wollschläger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 495–513, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-495-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-495-2017, 2017
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With a process-based interpretation of electromagnetic induction measurements, we discussed the potential and limitations of such a method for soil moisture mapping. Results will help clarify the complex and time-varying effect of stable soil properties and dynamic state variables on the physical parameters measured, with implications for future studies. We highlighted the importance of time-series data and the need for a multidisciplinary approach for proper interpretation.
Carol V. Tadros, Pauline C. Treble, Andy Baker, Ian Fairchild, Stuart Hankin, Regina Roach, Monika Markowska, and Janece McDonald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4625–4640, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4625-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4625-2016, 2016
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We investigated the potential use of trace element and stable oxygen-isotope variations in cave drip water as palaeorainfall proxies in an Australian alpine karst site. Using 7 years of cave monitoring data, we constrained the hydrological processes impacting the drip-water composition and identified a robust ENSO–drip water hydrochemical relationship. These findings are fundamental for reconstructing past ENSO variability from speleothems (cave deposits) regionally and globally.
William Alexander Avery, Catherine Finkenbiner, Trenton E. Franz, Tiejun Wang, Anthony L. Nguy-Robertson, Andrew Suyker, Timothy Arkebauer, and Francisco Muñoz-Arriola
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3859–3872, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3859-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3859-2016, 2016
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Here we present a strategy to use globally available datasets in the calibration function used to convert observed moderated neutron counts into volumetric soil water content. While local sampling protocols are well documented for fixed probes, the use of roving probes presents new calibration challenges. With over 200 fixed probes and 10 roving probes in use globally, we anticipate this paper will serve as a keystone for the growing cosmic-ray neutron probe and hydrologic community.
Tuvia Turkeltaub, Daniel Kurtzman, and Ofer Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3099–3108, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, 2016
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Efficient groundwater protection from pollution originating in agriculture requires effective monitoring means capable of tacking pollution processes in the vadose zone, long before groundwater pollution turns into an unavoidable fact. In this study, a vadose zone monitoring system that was installed under a crop field fertilized by dairy slurry enabled real-time tracking of nitrate plum migration down the vadose zone from the land surface to the water table at 18m depth.
Cited articles
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Short summary
Remote sensing techniques can provide useful large-scale estimates of soil moisture. However, these methods often only sense near-surface soil moisture, whereas many applications require estimates of the entire root zone. In this study we propose and test methods to "depth-scale" the shallow soil moisture measurements obtained using the cosmic-ray neutron probe to represent the entire root zone, thereby improving the applicability of this measurement approach.
Remote sensing techniques can provide useful large-scale estimates of soil moisture. However,...
