Abstract
An increase in the soil water content results in a decrease in the electrical resistivity of soil. This relationship obeys an exponential equation. When the water content is below the range of capillary-film water, the clearest relationship between the electrical resistivity and water content is observed, which allows the soil and ground waters to be studied. At a high water content, the dependence of the electrical resistivity on the content of exchangeable anions, the pH, and some other properties is detectable.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
L. B. Borovinskaya, V. P. Samsonova, and L. M. Plohih, “Relationship between Electrical Resistivity and Soil Water Content,” Nauchn. Dokl. Vyssh. Shk., Biol. Nauki, No. 3, 23–30 (1981).
A. D. Voronin, The Bases of Soil Physics (Mosk. Gos. Univ., Moscow, 1986) [in Russian].
S. V. Nerpin and A. F. Chudnovskii, Physics of the Soil (Nauka, Moscow, 1970) [in Russian].
A. I. Pozdnyakov, L. A. Pozdnyakova, and A. D. Pozdnyakova, Stationary Electrical Fields in Soils (Moscow, 1996) [in Russian].
A. W. Adamson, Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 2nd ed. (Interscience, New York, 1967), p. 126.
O. Banton, M.-K. Seguin, and M.-A. Cimon, “Mapping Field-Scale Physical Properties of Soil with Electrical Resistivity,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61, 1010–1017 (1997).
G. J. Bouyoucos, “Nylon Electrical Resistance Unit for Continuous Measurement of Soil Moisture in the Field,” Soil Sci. 67, 319–330 (1948).
N. E. Edlefsen and A. B. C. Anderson, “The Four-Electrode Resistance Method for Measuring Soil-Moisture Content under Field Conditions,” Soil Sci. 51, 367–376 (1941).
D. M. Farrar, “The Use of Vapor-Pressure and Moisture-Content Measurements to Deduce the Internal and External Surface Area of Soil Particles,” J. Soil Sci. 14, 303–320 (1963).
C. S. Hirtzel, and R. Rajagopalan, Colloidal Phenomena: Advanced Topics (Noyes, Park Ridge, 1985).
S. Iwata, T. Tabuchi, and B. P. Warkentin, Soil-Water Interactions: Mechanisms and Applications (Dekker, New York, 1995).
W. D. Kemper, “Water and Ion Movement in Thin Films and Influenced by Electrostatic Charge and Diffuse Layer of Cations Associated with Clay Mineral Surfaces,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 24, 10–16 (1960).
W. D. Kemper, D. E. L. Maasland, and L. K. Porter, “Mobility of Water Adjacent to Mineral Surfaces,” Soil Sci. Soc. Proc. 28, 164–167 (1964).
D. Kirkham and W. L. Powers, Advanced Soil Physics (Krieger, 1972).
M. R. Laverdiere and R. M. Weaver, “Charge Characteristics of Spodic Horizons,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 41, 505–510 (1977).
D. S. McIntyre, “Basic Relationships for Salinity Evaluation from Measurements on Soil Solution,” Aust. J. Soil Res. 18, 199–206 (1977).
I. S. McQueen and R. F. Miller, “Approximating Soil Moisture Characteristics from Limited Data: Empirical Evidence and Tentative Model,” Water Resour. Res. 10(3), 521–527 (1974).
Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods, 2nd ed. (ASA, Madison, Wisconsin, 1986).
B. N. Michurin and I. A. Lytayev, “Relationship between Moisture Content, Moisture Tension, and Specific Surface Area in Soil,” Soviet Soil Sci. 8, 1093–1103 (1967).
R. F. Miller, I. S. McQueen, F. A. Branson, et al., “An Evaluation of Range Floodwater Spreads,” J. Range Manage. 22, 246–257 (1969).
C. B. Monk, Electrolytic Dissociation (Academic, New York, 1961).
A. Nadler, “Estimating the Soil Water Dependence of the Electrical Conductivity Soil Solution/Electrical Conductivity Bulk Soil Ratio,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 46, 722–726 (1982).
Soil Water, Ed. by D. R. Nielsen, R. D. Jackson, J. W. Cary, and D. D. Evans (ASA-SSSA, Madison, WI, 1972).
R. M. Pashley and J. P. Quirk, “Co-ion Exclusion by Clay Surfaces: I. Equation for 1: 1, 2: 1, and 3: 1 Electrolyte Solutions,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61, 58–63 (1997).
B. V. Raij and M. Peech, “Electrochemical Properties of Some Oxisols and Alfisols of the Tropics,” Soil Sci. Am. Proc. 36, 587–593 (1972).
J. D. Rhoades, N. A. Manteghi, P. J. Shouse, and W. J. Alves, “Soil Electrical Conductivity and Soil Salinity: New Formulations and Calibrations,” Soil Sci. Am. J. 53, 433–439 (1989).
J. D. Rhoades, P. A. C. Raats, and R. J. Prather, “Effects of Liquid-Phase Electrical Conductivity, Water Content, and Surface Conductivity on Bulk Soil Electrical Conductivity,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 40, 651–655 (1976).
D. L. Sparks, Environmental Soil Chemistry (Academic, San Diego, 1995).
S. A. Taylor and G. L. Ashcroft, Physical Edaphology: The Physics of Irrigated and Nonirrigated Soils (Freeman, San Francisco, 1972).
M. Tschapek, L. Boggio, C. Wasowski and R. M. Torres Sanchez, “The Undrainable Water in Sand,” Aust. J. Soil Res. 19, 209–216 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pozdnyakov, A.I., Pozdnyakova, L.A. & Karpachevskii, L.O. Relationship between water tension and electrical resistivity in soils. Eurasian Soil Sc. 39 (Suppl 1), S78–S83 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229306130138
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229306130138