Transactions of the ASAE · 1990 · 14 citations · 0 references
AgricultureEarth SciencesSoil SciencesSoil PhysicsSoil ScienceSoil-water RelationsInfrared Remote SensingSoil MoistureSoil-water BalanceThermal Remote SensingThermal Soil SensingWater ContentInfrared SensingSoil Moisture Estimation From Thermal DataSoil Moisture RetrievalsSoil Surface Temperature MeasurementSoil Temperature MeasurementSoil Water Content CharacterizationSurface TemperatureThermal Infrared Soil Sensing
ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to develop a technique to estimate soil water content from surface-minus-air temperature measurements obtained from an infrared thermometer. Two different surfaces were used: grass (clipped, Pensacola Bahiagrass) and bare soil surfaces. Soil water content was estimated to depths of 0.15, 0.30, 0.60, and 0.90 m from surface-minus-air temperature measurements with average coefficients of determination (r2/R2) of 0.62, 0.61, 0.63, and 0.60. However, to depths of 0.60 and 0.90 m this estimate was improved by using a ratio of surface-minus-air temperature measurements divided by solar radiation. A dimensionless temperature ratio, which used soil/plant surface-minus-air temperature divided by ambient air temperature was also used to estimate soil water content at different depths.