Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensor Backpack for Assessing Spatial and Temporal Variations in Soil Water Content in an Agroforestry System in Northern Spain

Leticia Gaspar (), Trenton E. Franz and Ana Navas ()
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Leticia Gaspar: Soil and Water Department, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, EEAD-CSIC, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Trenton E. Franz: School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Ana Navas: Soil and Water Department, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, EEAD-CSIC, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: Accurate, real-time, and multi-scale soil water content (SWC) monitoring is crucial for understanding terrestrial energy, water, and nutrient cycles. This study assesses the potential of a portable cosmic-ray neutron sensor (CRNS) backpack for measuring SWC in a Mediterranean mountain agroforestry system. Seven field surveys were conducted in northern Spain, covering nine control points under woodland and cropland. CRNS data were compared with in situ SWC measurements from an SM-200 field probe and the NDMI index derived from Sentinel-2 imagery. The results show that the CRNS backpack effectively captures spatial and temporal SWC variations. The CRNS method demonstrated advantages over point-scale sensors by providing integrated measurements at an intermediate scale, while Sentinel-2 data offered valuable insights into moisture variability through vegetation response. The moderate correlations observed among the three methods highlight the complementarity of these approaches for soil moisture monitoring in heterogeneous landscapes. This work underscores the potential of mobile CRNS sensor as a practical tool for field-scale SWC assessment in Mediterranean mountain agroforestry systems, offering new opportunities for cropland and water management in similar landscapes.

Keywords: soil water content (SWC); cosmic-ray neutron sensors (CRNSs); Sentinel-2 imagery; moisture index; Mediterranean agroforestry system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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