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

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de Rosny, G. Articles by Laurent, J-P. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by de Rosny, G. Articles by Laurent, J-P. Agricola Articles by de Rosny, G. Articles by Laurent, J-P.

DIVISION S-1-SOIL PHYSICS

Numerical Modeling of a Capacitance Probe Response

^a Laboratoire Environnement et Développement, Université Paris 7, 2 place Jussieu, F-75251 Paris Cedex 05, France
^b INRA, Unité de Science du Sol, Domaine St Paul, F-84914 Avignon Cedex 09, France
^c Laboratoire d'étude des Transferts en Hydrologie et Environnement, BP53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France

Corresponding author (derosny{at}ccr.jussieu.fr)

Capacitance sensors are one of the common means of characterizing the soil dielectric constant. Their design depends on their expected applications. In particular, the electrode geometry has a critical influence on the extension of the probed region. Moreover, the soil may not always be viewed as a medium of statistically uniform dielectric constant (because of packing effects, air sheath in the vicinity of the electrodes, stones). Numerical modeling for the behavior of a particular probe was developed. It is based on solutions of the Maxwell's equations in the quasi-static approximation, by a finite element method. This modeling was compared with laboratory measurements in various media (air, ethanol) where heterogeneity was inserted in the vicinity of the electrode. The numerical model reproduces very well the probe response when millimetric scale perturbations were introduced. The numerical model appears to be a promising tool to investigate more deeply the capacitance probe measurements, for instance the extension of the measurement volume or the significance of measurements in highly structured soils.

Abbreviations: FEM, finite element method • PDE, partial differential equation • PVC, polyvinyl chloride • TDR, time domain reflectometry

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Bolvin, A. Chambarel, and A. Chanzy Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of a Capacitance Probe: Application to Measurement Interpretation Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2004; 68(2): 440 - 446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]