WARF TECHNOLOGIES

UW-Madison researchers have developed improved methods and systems for characterizing soil using visible-near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIRS) data. Combining their spectrographic data with additional insights, the researchers improved the soil-water retention curve (SWRC), a function for modeling water flow and solute transport in soil. The pore size distribution, generated from the vis-NIRS data, was combined with an estimation of water potential to improve the overall characterization of the soil sample. This method could be implemented in a relatively simple and robust system, consisting of a soil collection system, a spectrophotometer, and computational equipment, which could be deployed in a variety of settings, including laboratories and in the field. 

• Able to leverage pre-existing vis-NIR data sets
• Rapid on-site sampling and modeling
• Reduced cost and time expenditures

For More Information About the Inventors

• Jingyi Huang
• Alfred Hartemink

Tech Fields

• Analytical Instrumentation, Methods & Materials : Spectroscopy
• Animals, Agriculture & Food : Precision agriculture