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A Soil Salinity Sensor of Improved Design¹

ABSTRACT

Kemper (1959) showed that an electrical conductivity cell with spaced electrodes in fine-pored ceramic that is in contact with the film water in soil can provide continuous measurement of the salt concentration of the soil solution. Information is given on an improved sensor of this type. The response time has been reduced to about 1 hour for bulk solutions by using a ceramic plate 1 mm thick for the sensitive element. The effect of external current paths has been eliminated by shielding and insulation, and temperature compensation has been added. Information is given on calibration procedure, along with data on the use of the senor in irrigation tests and the relation of such data to leaching-requirement theory.

¹ Contribution from the US Salinity Laboratory, SWCRD, ARS, USDA, Riverside, California. This work was supported in part by the Meteorology Department, US Army Electronic Research and Development Activity, Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The author is pleased to acknowledge the skillful assistance given by H.T. Stumpf and F.J. Miklich in making and testing these sensors.

² Physicist.

Received for publication September 20, 1965. Accepted for publication December 7, 1965.