Abstract
We present paired measurements of the water content and electrical conductivity collected in a laboratory column packed with a homogeneous, clean sand over a wide range of water content and pore water electrical conductivity (EC) conditions. The EC was determined using the method of Nadler et al. [1991] from waveforms collected with two-rod time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes with and without baluns and with three-rod probes without baluns. Following Heimovaara et al. [1995], we calibrated the probes in saline solutions to account for the series resistance of the cable and connectors. The calibrated EC shows a nonlinear dependence on the water content that is well described by a simple power relationship [Archie, 1942]. Recognizing that calibration in saline solutions is impractical for some TDR probes, we demonstrate that the EC response can be calibrated directly using the results of drainage events, incorporating only a separate calibration of the cable resistance. None of the probe designs shows any clear advantage for EC measurement.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1207-1213 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Water Resources Research |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| State | Published - May 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aquatic Science
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Water Science and Technology
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The dependence of the electrical conductivity measured by time domain reflectometry on the water content of a sand. / Ferre, Paul A; Redman, J. D.; Rudolph, D. L.; Kachanoski, R. G.
In: Water Resources Research, Vol. 34, No. 5, 05.1998, p. 1207-1213.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The dependence of the electrical conductivity measured by time domain reflectometry on the water content of a sand
AU - Ferre, Paul A
AU - Redman, J. D.
AU - Rudolph, D. L.
AU - Kachanoski, R. G.
PY - 1998/5
Y1 - 1998/5
N2 - We present paired measurements of the water content and electrical conductivity collected in a laboratory column packed with a homogeneous, clean sand over a wide range of water content and pore water electrical conductivity (EC) conditions. The EC was determined using the method of Nadler et al. [1991] from waveforms collected with two-rod time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes with and without baluns and with three-rod probes without baluns. Following Heimovaara et al. [1995], we calibrated the probes in saline solutions to account for the series resistance of the cable and connectors. The calibrated EC shows a nonlinear dependence on the water content that is well described by a simple power relationship [Archie, 1942]. Recognizing that calibration in saline solutions is impractical for some TDR probes, we demonstrate that the EC response can be calibrated directly using the results of drainage events, incorporating only a separate calibration of the cable resistance. None of the probe designs shows any clear advantage for EC measurement.
AB - We present paired measurements of the water content and electrical conductivity collected in a laboratory column packed with a homogeneous, clean sand over a wide range of water content and pore water electrical conductivity (EC) conditions. The EC was determined using the method of Nadler et al. [1991] from waveforms collected with two-rod time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes with and without baluns and with three-rod probes without baluns. Following Heimovaara et al. [1995], we calibrated the probes in saline solutions to account for the series resistance of the cable and connectors. The calibrated EC shows a nonlinear dependence on the water content that is well described by a simple power relationship [Archie, 1942]. Recognizing that calibration in saline solutions is impractical for some TDR probes, we demonstrate that the EC response can be calibrated directly using the results of drainage events, incorporating only a separate calibration of the cable resistance. None of the probe designs shows any clear advantage for EC measurement.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031972437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031972437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0031972437
VL - 34
SP - 1207
EP - 1213
JO - Water Resources Research
JF - Water Resources Research
SN - 0043-1397
IS - 5
ER -