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Hauptverfasser: Sarmiento-Cano, Christian, Betancour, Jaime, Selin, Alejandro Núñez, Miranda-Leuro, Luigui, Sidelnik, Iván, Asorey, Hernán, Núñez, Luis A.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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Online-Zugang:https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.17595
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author Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Betancour, Jaime
Selin, Alejandro Núñez
Miranda-Leuro, Luigui
Sidelnik, Iván
Asorey, Hernán
Núñez, Luis A.
author_facet Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Betancour, Jaime
Selin, Alejandro Núñez
Miranda-Leuro, Luigui
Sidelnik, Iván
Asorey, Hernán
Núñez, Luis A.
contents Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCDs), traditionally employed in cosmic-ray detection, are repurposed here for precision soil moisture monitoring using cosmic-ray neutron sensing. This approach offers advantages over conventional neutron probes, including enhanced sensitivity to low moisture levels and the ability to cover larger soil volumes without subsurface intrusion. This study evaluates the feasibility of WCDs for agricultural neutron hydrometry, addressing challenges such as background suppression and data interpretation in heterogeneous soils. We present experimental results from controlled wet and dry soil-condition emulations, alongside Monte Carlo simulations using Geant4 with an atmospheric neutron spectrum to correlate signal variation with soil-moisture differences. By bridging particle physics and agronomy, WCDs could advance soil moisture monitoring, offering a non-invasive, scalable, and accurate alternative for optimizing agricultural water use. Preliminary findings suggest a transformative potential for sustainable farming, though further research is needed to enhance cost-efficiency and adaptability to diverse soil types.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_17595
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Water Cherenkov Detectors in Precision Agriculture: A Novel Approach for High-Resolution Soil Moisture Monitoring
Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Betancour, Jaime
Selin, Alejandro Núñez
Miranda-Leuro, Luigui
Sidelnik, Iván
Asorey, Hernán
Núñez, Luis A.
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCDs), traditionally employed in cosmic-ray detection, are repurposed here for precision soil moisture monitoring using cosmic-ray neutron sensing. This approach offers advantages over conventional neutron probes, including enhanced sensitivity to low moisture levels and the ability to cover larger soil volumes without subsurface intrusion. This study evaluates the feasibility of WCDs for agricultural neutron hydrometry, addressing challenges such as background suppression and data interpretation in heterogeneous soils. We present experimental results from controlled wet and dry soil-condition emulations, alongside Monte Carlo simulations using Geant4 with an atmospheric neutron spectrum to correlate signal variation with soil-moisture differences. By bridging particle physics and agronomy, WCDs could advance soil moisture monitoring, offering a non-invasive, scalable, and accurate alternative for optimizing agricultural water use. Preliminary findings suggest a transformative potential for sustainable farming, though further research is needed to enhance cost-efficiency and adaptability to diverse soil types.
title Water Cherenkov Detectors in Precision Agriculture: A Novel Approach for High-Resolution Soil Moisture Monitoring
topic High Energy Physics - Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.17595