HMS9000

The HMS9000 Moisture Probe is designed to provide measurements of volumetric water content. The sensor measures electrical properties of the soil which are related to and indicative of its water content. The sensor was developed by researchers at I.N.R.A. (Institute Nacionale de Recherche Agronomique) in France, and measures the permittivity of the soil (or other medium) -and-water system. A simple, two-step calibration is required by the user in order to more accurately relate permittivity to volumetric water content for a particular medium. The probe can be installed permanently in the soil and connected to a datallogger for long-term, automated measurements, or used with the optional MicroTerm handheld display as a portable meter.

The MicroTerm handlheld display is connected to the HMS9000 moisture probe and used to display measurements made with the probe. The MicroTerm displays measurements in real time, allowing the probe to be used as a portable instrument. The display can also be used to periodically examine measurements made with permanently installed probes.

For more information about the HMS9000:

see the HMS9000 User's Guide.

Chanzy, A., J, Chadoeuf, J.C. Gaudu, D. Mohrath, G. Richard, L. Bruckler. 1998.

Soil moisture monitoring at the field scale using automatic capacitance probes.  

European Journal of Soil Science, December 1998, 49, 637-648.

     (article available in Acrobat .pdf-format file, size approximately 1.4 Mb)

Ould Mohamed, O., P. Bertuzzi, A. Bruand, L. Raison, and L. Bruckler. 1997. 

Field evaluation and error analysis of soil water content measurement using the capacitance probe method.  

Soil Science Society of America Journal, 61:399-408 (1997).

     (article available in Acrobat .pdf-format file, size approximately 800 kb)

Gaudu, JC, JM Mathieu, JC Fumanal, L Bruckler, A Chanzy, P Bertuzzi, P Stengel, R Guennelon. 1993. 

Mesure de l'humidite des sols par une methode capacitive: analyse des facteurs influencant la mesure.  

Agronomie (1993) 13, 57-73. (in French, with Summary in English).

     (article available in Acrobat .pdf-format file, size approximately 4 Mb)

     (an abreviated version of this file, containing only the English-language summary on pages 1 and 2, is also available,

      size approximately 600 kb)

Gaudu, J.C., Chanzy, A., Mohrath, D. 

Mesure de la teneur en eau du sol par la methode capacitive.  

INRA, Unite de science du sol, site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9. Project report (in French).

     (article available in Acrobat .pdf-format file, size approximately 600 kb)

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