Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS)
Soil Moisture Monitoring at Field Scale
- Non-contact
- Zero maintenance
- Footprint > ~300 m diameter
- Measurement depth 20–70 cm
Why Field Scale Matters
Traditional soil moisture probes measure a few centimeters of soil at one spot. Soil moisture varies across a field, so a single point can misrepresent conditions, and a representative picture takes many probes to install, maintain and interpret.
A Lab-C CRNS sensor averages soil moisture across a footprint more than 300 meters in diameter, about 7 hectares (17 acres), and 20–70 cm deep. This gives a continuous, field-representative soil moisture value without contacting the soil.
How It Works
Cosmic rays create a natural flux of background neutrons which mix with soil. Water in the soil absorbs some of these neutrons, so fewer neutrons mean wetter soil. A Lab-C sensor counts these background neutrons to measure average soil moisture across the whole field.
Products
Agrisense
For agriculture. Easy installation, low maintenance, long-term reliability. Pole or pivot mounted.
Stationary Systems
For hydrology studies and long-term network monitoring, built for years of unattended operation.
Custom Systems
A Quaesta Instruments specialty:
- High sensitivity detector geometries
- Mini neutron monitors
- Turnkey support for user-supplied sensors
- …and more
Have a unique measurement need? We can likely help.
Talk to us about your application
Quaesta Instruments · 1665 E. 18th St., Suite 207 · Tucson, AZ 85719 · 520-882-3706