User:GoHashimoto/sandbox

= NeuDrop =

Neudrop is a device that measures soil moisture content at multiple depths at real time. Famers use this device to know soilcondition and decide when to irrigate. It differs from current technology in terms of applying a knowledge of neutron thermalization. The device detects particles to send this deta to rasberry py. Website takes this information from raspberry py. NeuDrop has a stake like design which houses detector modules. These detector modules record soil moisture measurements and relay this information to the communication electronics at housed in the top. NeuDrop collects data over a day and show farmers day to day changes in soil water content, the most important changes. The communication electronics transmit information to a website, where farmers can easily access their data from a desktop computer, smartphone, or tablet.

= Comparison of Neudrop over traditional soil water mesurement  = Currently, to measure soil water content, tensiometers and electrical probs are used. Tensiometers is a device for measuring soil moisture by reading surface tension of water in soil and electrical resistance probes, which measures soil moisture by using a block of material that absorbs water. These devices require frequent maintenance. For example, Tensiometers require periodically filling the pipe with water and replacing porous cups. If the soil is too dry, the porous cup will break tension and air will enter the tensiometers. Neudop measures water content at any depth  by gained neutron counts in soil at the depth.

= How Neudrop works = The sun releases high energy protons and these protons turn into high energy neutrons because of interactions with particles  in  the  upper  atmosphere. Everyday, there are free neutrons coming down through our atmosphere and into the earth below. Once these neutrons slow down from interactions with water, there is a higher probability for these neutrons to be absorbed by various elements in the soil. Using a nuclear reaction that neutrons have with lithium six, Neudrop captures these neutrons once they have slowed down in the soil. The lithium six breaks down when struck by a neutron and the two new, charged particles detected by a photodiode. These two, charged particles are an alpha particle and tritium ion. Typically, a photodiode is used to detect the amount of light present.

Charged particles generated by neutrons interacting with the lithium six in the converter material make a small electronic pulse when they slam into the photodiode. These pulses are amplified and counted to infer the neutron flux around the detector. The value of the flux can be used to infer the water content above/around the detector

= Neudrop Design =

Neudrop includes the detector module which is currently about five inches by one inch seated in the pipe underground. The electronics sit inside a waterproof housing that can be inserted into the ground. The top of the case contains a solar panel to recharge the battery (indefinite, maintenance free operation), as well as a radio module for wireless transmission of the data from each detector to the website through currently used farm equipment.

= How Neudrop measures water content in the soil = Research has found that the moisture content of soil is inversely proportional to the ratio of fast neutron to the thermal neutron on the soil you want to measure. Fast neutron is most affected by solar activity. With information on solar activity Neudrop deduces the water content.