Caltech Researchers Develop New Method to Measure Soil Moisture

Seismic Technology Tracks Underground Water Using Traffic Noise

Caltech earthquake technology reveals underground water levels using traffic noise.

WEB A group of researchers from the California Institute of Technology Caltech has unveiled a pioneering technique to assess soil moisture levels in the shallow subsurface. This innovative method leverages traffic noise as a source of seismic waves, enabling the measurement of soil moisture content without the need for intrusive or expensive equipment.

WEB Caltechs seismic tech tracks underground water using traffic noise. The research team, led by Dr. Jessica Johnson, utilized a network of seismic detectors installed near a busy roadway. As vehicles passed by, they generated vibrations that propagated through the ground. These vibrations were detected by the seismic sensors, and their characteristics were analyzed to infer the moisture content of the soil.

WEB Caltech earthquake tech reveals underground water levels using traffic noise. "Our method takes advantage of the fact that the speed of seismic waves is affected by the presence of water in the soil," explains Dr. Johnson. "When the soil is dry, the waves travel faster; when it's wet, they slow down. By measuring the changes in wave speed, we can estimate the moisture content of the soil."

WEB Caltech researchers have developed a seismic technology method using traffic vibrations to measure soil. The team's findings, which were recently published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrate the effectiveness of this new approach. They were able to accurately measure soil moisture levels at depths of up to several meters below the surface, providing valuable information about the distribution of water in the subsurface.

WEB California Institute of Technology Seismic detectors measure soil moisture using traffic noise. "This technique has the potential to be a valuable tool for a variety of applications, including water resource management, agriculture, and environmental monitoring," says Dr. Johnson. "It's a non-invasive and cost-effective way to obtain detailed information about soil moisture, which is critical for understanding the water cycle and managing water resources sustainably."

WEB A group of researchers from the California Institute of Technology Caltech has unveiled a pioneering. WEB Caltechs new project is built upon the way that the same DAS principle can detect how the ground..