Name: measurements of soil carbon by neutron-gamma analysis in static and scanning modes
Uploaded: 2017-08-24T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measurements of Soil Carbon by Neutron-Gamma Analysis in Static and Scanning Modes at JoVE.com

The authors are indebted to Barry G. Dorman, Robert A. Icenogle, Juan Rodriguez, Morris G. Welch, and Marlin Siegford for technical assistance in experimental measurements, and to Jim Clark and Dexter LaGrand for assistance with computer simulations. We thank XIA LLC for allowing the use of their electronics and detectors in this project. This work was supported by NIFA ALA Research Contract No ALA061-4-15014 "Precision geospatial mapping of soil carbon content for agricultural productivity and lifecycle management".

1. Construction of the INS system
<ol>
	<li>Use the general INS system geometry shown in Figure 1.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Figure 1" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/56270/56270fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1. INS System Geometry. <a href="//cloudfront.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/56270/56270fig1large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<ol start="2">
	<li>Use the INS syst...

<ol>
	<li>Potter, K. N., Daniel, J. A., Altom, W., Torbert, H. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stocking+rate+effect+on+soil+carbon+and+nitrogen+in+degraded+soils.">Stocking rate effect on soil carbon and nitrogen in degraded soils.</a> J. Soil Water Conserv. 56, 233-236 (2001).</li><li>Torbert, H. A., Prior, S. A., Runion, G. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+the+return+to+cultivation+on+carbon+(C)+sequestration.">Impact of the return to cultivation on carbon (C) sequestration.</a> J. Soil Water Conserv. 59 (1), 1-8 (2004).</li><li>Stolbovoy, V., Montanarella, L., Filippi, N., Jones, A., Gallego, J., Grassi, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Soil sampling protocol to certify the changes of organic carbon stock in mineral soil of the European Union. Version 2. , (2007).</li><li>Smith, K. E., Watts, D. B., Way, T. R., Torbert, H. A., Prior, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+tillage+and+fertilizer+application+method+on+gas+emissions+(CO2,+CH4,+N2O)+in+a+corn+cropping+system.">Impact of tillage and fertilizer application method on gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O) in a corn cropping system.</a> Pedosphere. 22 (5), 604-615 (2012).</li><li>Seybold, C. A., Mausbach, M. J., Karlen, D. L., Rogers, H. H., Lal, R., Kimble, J., Stewart, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantification+of+soil+quality.">Quantification of soil quality.</a> Soil processes and the carbon cycle. , 387-404 (1997).</li><li>Nelson, D. W., Sommers, L. E., Sparks, D. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Total+carbon,+organic+carbon,+and+organic+matter.">Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter.</a> Methods of Soil Analysis., Part 3, Chemical Methods. , 961-1010 (1996).</li><li>Wielopolski, L., Carayannis, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nuclear+methodology+for+non-destructive+multi-elemental+analysis+of+large+volumes+of+soil.">Nuclear methodology for non-destructive multi-elemental analysis of large volumes of soil.</a> Planet Earth: Global Warming Challenges and Opportunities for Policy and Practice. , (2011).</li><li>Wielopolski, L., Yanai, R. D., Levine , C. R., Mitra, S., Vadeboncoeur, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rapid,+non-destructive+carbon+analysis+of+forest+soils+using+neutron-induced+gamma-ray+spectroscopy.">Rapid, non-destructive carbon analysis of forest soils using neutron-induced gamma-ray spectroscopy.</a> Forest Ecol. Manag. 260, 1132-1137 (2010).</li><li>Mitra, S., Wielopolski, L., Tan, H., Fallu-Labruyere, A., Hennig, W., Warburton, W. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Concurrent+measurement+of+individual+gamma-ray+spectra+during+and+between+fast+neutron+pulses.">Concurrent measurement of individual gamma-ray spectra during and between fast neutron pulses.</a> Nucl. Sci. 54 (1), 192-196 (2007).</li><li>Yakubova, G., Wielopolski, L., Kavetskiy, A., Torbert, H. A., Prior, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Field+testing+a+mobile+inelastic+neutron+scattering+system+to+measure+soil+carbon.">Field testing a mobile inelastic neutron scattering system to measure soil carbon.</a> Soil Sci. 179, 529-535 (2014).</li><li>Yakubova, G., Kavetskiy, A., Prior, S. A., Torbert, H. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Benchmarking+the+inelastic+neutron+scattering+soil+carbon+method.">Benchmarking the inelastic neutron scattering soil carbon method.</a> Vadose Zone J. 15 (2), (2016).</li><li>Knoll, G. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Radiation Detection and Measurement. , (2000).</li><li>Mitra, S., Dioszegi, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Unexploded+Ordnance+identification+-+A+gamma-ray+spectral+analysis+method+for+Carbon,+Nitrogen+and+Oxygen+signals+following+tagged+neutron+interrogation.">Unexploded Ordnance identification - A gamma-ray spectral analysis method for Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen signals following tagged neutron interrogation.</a> Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A. 693, 16-22 (2012).</li></ol>

Building on the foundation established by previous researchers, the NSDL staff addressed questions critical to the practical and successful use of this technology in real world field settings. Initially, NSDL researchers demonstrated the necessity to account for the INS system background signal when determining net carbon peak areas.11 Another effort showed that the net carbon peak area characterizes the average carbon weight percent in the upper 10 cm soil layer (regardless of carbon depth distri...

Knowledge of soil carbon content is required for optimization of soil productivity and profitability, understanding the impact of agricultural land use practices on soil resources, and evaluating strategies for carbon sequestration1,2,3,4. Soil carbon is a universal indicator of soil quality5. Several methods have been developed for soil carbon measurements. Dry combustion (DC) has been the most widely used method for years6; this method is based on field sample collection and laboratory processing and measurement that is destructive, labor intensive, and time consuming. Two newer methods are laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and near and mid infrared spectroscopy7. These methods are also destructive and only analyze the very near-surface soil layer (0.1 - 1 cm soil depth). In addition, these methods only yield point measurements of carbon content for small sample volumes (~60 cm3 for DC method, and 0.01-10 cm3 for infrared spectroscopy methods). Such point measurements make it difficult to extrapolate results to field or landscape scales. Since these methods are destructive, recurring measurements are also impossible.
Previous researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory suggested applying neutron technology for soil carbon analysis (INS method)7,8,9. This initial effort developed the theory and practice of using neutron gamma analysis for soil carbon measurement. Starting in 2013, this effort was continued at the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory (NSDL). The expansion of this technological application over the last 10 years is due to two main factors: the availability of relatively inexpensive commercial neutron generators, gamma detectors, and corresponding electronics with software; and state of the art neutron-nuclei interaction reference databases. This method has several advantages over others. An INS system, placed on a platform, could be maneuvered over any type of field that requires measurement. This non-destructive in-situ method can analyze large soils volumes (~300 kg) that can be interpolated to a whole agricultural field using just a few measurements. This INS system is also capable of operating in a scanning mode that determines the average carbon content of an area based on scanning over a predetermine grid of the field or landscape.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="717">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:195px;">Neutron Generator</td>
			<td style="width:327px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific, Colorado Springs, CO 
			DNC software</td>
			<td style="width:125px;">MP320</td>
			<td style="width:72px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Gamma-detector:</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">- NaI(Tl) crystal</td>
			<td>Scionix USA, Orlando, FL</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">- Electronics</td>
			<td>XIA LLC, Hayward, CA</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">- Software</td>
			<td>ProSpect</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Battery</td>
			<td>Fullriver Battery USA, Camarillo, CA</td>
			<td>DC105-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Invertor</td>
			<td>Nova Electric, Bergenfield, NJ</td>
			<td>CGL 600W-series</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Charger</td>
			<td>PRO Charging Systems, LLC, LaVergne, TN</td>
			<td>PS4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Block of Iron</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Boric Acid</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Laptop</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">mu-metal</td>
			<td>Magnetic Shield Corp., Bensenville, IL</td>
			<td>&#160;MU010-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Construction sand</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Coconut shell</td>
			<td>General Carbon Corp., Patterson, NJ</td>
			<td>GC 8 X 30S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Reference Cs-137 source</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

measurements of soil carbon by neutron-gamma analysis in static and scanning modes

The herein described application of the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) method for soil carbon analysis is based on the registration and analysis of gamma rays created when neutrons interact with soil elements. The main parts of the INS system are a pulsed neutron generator, NaI(Tl) gamma detectors, split electronics to separate gamma spectra due to INS and thermo-neutron capture (TNC) processes, and software for gamma spectra acquisition and data processing. This method has several advantages over other methods in that it is a non-destructive in situ method that measures the average carbon content in large soil volumes, is negligibly impacted by local sharp changes in soil carbon, and can be used in stationary or scanning modes. The result of the INS method is the carbon content from a site with a footprint of ~2.5 - 3 m2 in the stationary regime, or the average carbon content of the traversed area in the scanning regime. The measurement range of the current INS system is &#62;1.5 carbon weight % (standard deviation &#177; 0.3 w%) in the upper 10 cm soil layer for a 1 hmeasurement.

Soil INS &#38; TNC and TNC gamma spectra
A general view of the measured soil gamma spectra is shown in Figure 4. The spectra consist of a set of peaks on a continuous background. The main peaks of interest have centroids at 4.44 MeV and 1.78 MeV in the INS &#38; TNC spectra. The second peak can be attributed to silicon nuclei contained in soil, and the first peak is an overlapping peak from carbon and silicon nucle...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measurements of Soil Carbon by Neutron-Gamma Analysis in Static and Scanning Modes at JoVE.com

Measurements of Soil Carbon by Neutron-Gamma Analysis in Static and Scanning Modes

Here, we present the protocol for in situ measurement of soil carbon using the neutron-gamma technique for single point measurements (static mode) or field averages (scanning mode). We also describe system construction and elaborate data treatment procedures.

The herein described application of the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) method for soil carbon analysis is based on the registration and analysis of ...

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