Demonstration test of an Italian Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing network to monitor soil moisture dynamics
The ability to measure soil moisture (WDM) in real time and over a wide area is of strategic importance for the quantification and management of water resources in drinking, agriculture and hydro-electric power as well as for flood and landslide prevention. Cosmic Rays Neutron Sensing (CRNS) offers the ability to obtain a continuous measurement of the representative Soil Moisture value for an area of dozens of hectares through a single non-invasive sensor1,2. Experiences from other countries underline the advantages of a coordinated network of such probes, which allows the issuance of national or supranational bulletins to assess climate trends and the distribution of the impact of extreme events3. In Italy, a growing number of CRNS Finapp probes are installed by ARPA or research organizations and can be integrated into such a network.
