A Mole collecting fingerprints

1
A Mole collecting fingerprints

• A gamma ray soil sensor for measuring physical
  properties of top soil.
• 3 July 2008, Koldkærgaard

2
Introduction

• Eddie Loonstra
• The Soil Company
• Spatial soil information based on sensors
• Agriculture.
• Sport and recreation.
• Nature development.
• The Mole gamma ray sensor

3
Contents

• Soil sensors.
• The sensor The Mole.
• Fingerprinting.
• Conclusions.

4
Soil sensors

• Change in need for soil information
• High resolution
• Low cost
• Digital
• Most common soil sensors (gt 100)
• Electrical and Electromagnetic
• Optical and Radiometric
• Mechanical
• Acoustic and pneumatic
• Electrochemical

5
Soil sensors Gamma

• Start development gamma ray sensor University of
  Groningen (1992)
• Personal computer
• Material scintillation crystal
• Initially seabed mapping
• Spin off agriculture The Mole

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The Mole

• Components detector
• Sensor
• CsI crystal
• Photo multiplier
• MCA
• Mole Data logging software,
• Rugged computer, and
• GPS.

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The Mole from field survey to soil maps

• Field survey
• Sensor measurements
• Soil sampling
• Spectrum analysis
• Fingerprinting
• Mapping

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Fingerprinting (1)

• Statistical comparison
• Gamma ray field data (TC, Th, K, U, Cs)
• Lab results
• Sample spots
• Area 3x3 meter
• Calibration sensor

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Fingerprinting (2)

• Calibration soil properties
• Physical properties
• geological zone
• 1 sample/10 ha
• Nutrients fields
• 1 sample/3 ha
• Database
• 7 countries
• 5.000 samples

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Fingerprinting (3)

• Statistical regression shows
• Consistent correlation physical soil properties
• Good R2 0.7-0.9
• Clay content Th232
• Grain size K40
• Loam/Sand content Th232 ( U238)
• Organic Matter K40 Cs137

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Results Organic Matter
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Results Clay content
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Applications

• Users (in general)
• Soil scientists
• Farmers
• Governments
• For
• Water related issues
• Precision Agriculture
• Development of nature

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Concluding

• The Mole is very suitable for
• Mapping top soil
• Physical properties
• On a quantitative base
• At relatively low cost
• With high resolution
• And predictable outcome as the process of
  fingerprinting shows.

15
Thank you for your attention!

• Questions or remarks?