Soil Moisture Neutron Probe Data (FIFE)

The neutron-probe data present a series of measurements of volumetric water content in the soil profile compiled using the neutron method. These data were collected from throughout the FIFE study area from May 1987 through August 1989. The neutron method of measuring soil water content uses the principle of neutron thermalization. When both hydrogen and oxygen are considered, water has a marked effect on slowing or thermalizing neutrons. Thermal neutron density is easily measured with a detector, if the capture cross-section remains constant then the thermal neutron density may be calibrated against water concentration on a volume basis.

中子探针（neutron-probe）数据集收录了一系列采用中子法（neutron method）测定的土壤剖面（soil profile）体积含水量（volumetric water content）测量数据，所有数据均通过中子法完成整编。
本次采集的数据覆盖整个FIFE研究区域，采集时段为1987年5月至1989年8月。
用于测定土壤含水量的中子法基于中子热化（neutron thermalization）原理：当同时考虑氢与氧元素时，水对中子的减速（即热化）过程具有显著影响。热中子密度（thermal neutron density）可通过探测器便捷测得；若中子俘获截面（capture cross-section）保持恒定，则可基于体积基准，将热中子密度与含水量进行标定校准。