The main advantage of magnetoelastic sensors in comparison with the classic wire ones or semiconductor ones is their marked sensitivity and higher resistance to environmental moisture. These properties predestinate them for use in civil engineering and geo-technological applications [2]. Magnetoelastic sensors of pressure force are currently based on the change of core permeability caused by me...

Accurate soil moisture content measurements are vital to precision irrigation management. Remote sensing using the microwave spectrum (such as GPS signals) has been used for measuring large area soil moisture contents. In our previous work, we estimated surface soil moisture contents for bare soil using a GPS Delay Mapping Receiver (DMR) developed by NASA. However, the effect of vegetation was ...

a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: West African Monsoon Sahel rainfall Remote sensing Ocean–atmosphere–land interaction The West African Monsoon region is of great concern due to the negative ecological, economical, and societal impacts of the persistent drought. Our results support the established postulation that the onset of summer rain in the southern region is associated with the migration of...

Nowadays Wireless Sensors Networks (WSN) are intensively used for environment monitoring. As a bridge to the physical world, WSN can gather handy data even in hazard sites. Access to hazard data is particularly crucial when anticipating risks of disasters. When integrated into the Web of Things and a Big Data database, the WSN offers a promising way to sketch an online picture of the monitored ...

For several years passive microwave observations have been used to retrieve soil moisture from the Earth’s surface. Low frequency observations have the most sensitivity to soil moisture, therefore the current Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and future Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) satellite missions observe the Earth’s surface in the L-band frequency. In the past, several sate...

Control of water and air in the root zone of plants remains a challenge in the microgravity environment of space. Due to limited flight opportunities, research aimed at resolving microgravity porous media fluid dynamics must often be conducted on Earth. The NASA KC-135 reduced gravity flight program offers an opportunity for Earth-based researchers to study physical processes in a variable grav...

In this paper, we describe the monitoring of Portand cement paste, with a 0.50 water cement ratio (w/c), during early age period, recurring to optical and electrical techniques. The optical monitoring of the cement paste was realized with FBG temperature sensors, and the temperature variations during the early age period were characterized. The RF values of the cement paste and therefore predic...

Precision components or sensors exposed to corrosive conditions, or required to have extreme performance characteristics, are sealed hermetically into special packages. Epoxy glueing, resistance welding, soldering, electron-beam welding, and laser welding are several of the techniques available for sealing these packages. The disadvantage in the use of epoxies is that they do not create a herme...

There is a demand in the dairy industry for instruments which can provide real-time information about the moisture content of cheese during manufacture. This paper describes progress in the development of microwave-based equipment for such an application. Results from a permittivity survey are described, and a six-port network is evaluated for use as a reflectometer. Possible sensors are discus...