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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421063
Research Project: Sustaining Productivity and Ecosystem Services of Agricultural and Horticultural Systems in the Southeastern United States

Location: Soil Dynamics Research

Title: In-situ neutron gamma analysis of soil

Author
item Kavetskiy, Aleksandr
item Yakubova, Galina
item GAUTAM, SIDHARTH - Auburn University
item Prior, Stephen
item Torbert Iii, Henry

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2025
Publication Date: 2/17/2025
Citation: Kavetskiy, A.G., Yakubova, G.N., Gautam, S., Prior, S.A., Torbert III, H.A. 2025. In-situ neutron gamma analysis of soil [abstract]. International Conference on Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry (MARC XIII), Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, March 23-28.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Neutron gamma analysis can serve as a good alternative to the labor-intensive and time-consuming soil chemical analysis approach. Neutron gamma analysis is a non-destructive, in-situ, relatively fast, and radiation-safe method. This method is based on extracting soil elemental content from measured neutron-stimulated gamma spectra. Two main approaches were currently developed for determining soil elemental content: Pulsed Fast/Thermal Neutron Analysis (PFTNA) and the Tagged Neutron Method (TNM). Due to the use of pulsed neutron flux in PFTNA, the simultaneous and separate measurement of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and thermal neutron capture (TNC) gamma spectra allows for measuring gamma peaks attributed exclusively to soil elements such as carbon, silicon, iron, and hydrogen. Soil elemental content is defined using calibration dependencies. In the TNM method, gamma spectra are measured in the alpha-gamma coincidence mode. The deconvolution of these spectra (based on using reference sample spectra) provides the mass fraction content of primary soil oxides (e.g., SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO) along with carbon and water. Both the PFTNA and TNM mobile systems were developed and constructed for current routine field measurements. The PFTNA system’s capability of determining and mapping soil carbon content has made it a valuable tool in the emerging carbon credit market. The TNM system can be used for the determining both soil elemental content and soil texture in basic soil science research and modern agricultural practice assessments. Details of PFTNA and TNM and their applications will be reported and discussed in this presentation.