HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Parlange, J.-Y. Articles by Parlange, M. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Parlange, J.-Y. Articles by Parlange, M. B. Agricola Articles by Parlange, J.-Y. Articles by Parlange, M. B.

Optimal Analysis of the Effect of a Surface Crust¹

ABSTRACT

Recently, experiments have been presented for the horizontal flow of water by soil with a surface crust and compared to an analytical model. It was found that the water content at the surface was consistently less than predicted by about a 1% water content. Such a small discrepancy may seem to be more of theoretical rather than practical interest. In fact, due to the rapid variation of soil properties near saturation, a very small error in water content at the surface implies that the model is unreliable to predict the relationship between cumulative absorption and soil water content at the soil surface, especially in the early stages of infiltration. A new model is developed here, based on an optimal principle. The results from this model are closer to the experimental observations, but some discrepancy remains. To eliminate the possibility of experimental error a simple theoretical example is also considered, where an exact solution exists, which illustrates in detail the accuracy of the optimal model.

¹ Contribution from the School of Australian Environmental Studies, Griffith Univ., Brisbane, 4111, Australia.

² Professor, Lecturer, and Student, respectively.

Received for publication June 15, 1983. Accepted for publication November 29, 1983.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Assouline Rainfall-Induced Soil Surface Sealing: A Critical Review of Observations, Conceptual Models, and Solutions Vadose Zone J., May 1, 2004; 3(2): 570 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. R. Wells, D. A. DiCarlo, T. S. Steenhuis, J.-Y. Parlange, M. J. M. Romkens, and S. N. Prasad Infiltration and Surface Geometry Features of a Swelling Soil following Successive Simulated Rainstorms Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 1, 2003; 67(5): 1344 - 1351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]