Cosmic Rays "Probe" Soil Moisture from Above: Colorado State University Innovates Soil Moisture Monitoring Technology
Researchers at Colorado State University are utilizing a mobile cosmic-ray neutron rover to explore a novel soil moisture monitoring method. This technology is expected to provide data support for hydrological research, particularly in assessing the impacts of wildfires on landscapes. The rover is reportedly capable of estimating soil moisture over large areas by measuring changes resulting from the interaction of cosmic rays from outer space with hydrogen atoms in the soil. Unlike traditional sensors that only capture near-surface data at a limited number of points, or the coarse resolution of satellite remote sensing, this technology offers a mesoscale dataset that falls between the two, enabling more accurate mapping of moisture distribution...
2026-08-04
