ARS | Publication request: Soil carbon measurement using non-invasive inelastic neutron scattering technique

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: September 15, 2007
Publication Date: November 4, 2007
Citation: Omonode, R., Wielopolski, L., Mitra, S., Doron, O., Novak, J.M., Chan, A. 2007. Soil carbon measurement using non-invasive inelastic neutron scattering technique [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting Abstracts, November 2-8, 2007, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2007 CDROM.

Technical Abstract: Rapid and accurate procedures are needed to not only quantify but also to assess changes in soil C due to changes in adopted management systems. Current procedures that are used to evaluate soil C are invasive, costly, and are time and labor intensive. Emerging technologies including Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) procedure have the potential to significantly reduce the problems associated with current soil C measurement procedures. The INS procedure is a rapid, noninvasive, in-situ, and field deployable system that have shown great promise for soil C assessment. In the static mode, the INS can assess soil C for individual measurement positions, and can also integrate across fields to give a mean soil C value for the entire field when operated in a dynamic scanning mode. Laboratory and limited field experiments indicated that the INS can be an accurate and rapid procedure to assess soil C. The results of field experiments at Florence, SC, measuring C using the INS system are compared with those measured by established procedures of dry combustion that measures SOC.