MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of High-Resolution Multichannel Electrical Resistivity Imaging System for Sub-Soil Characterization

该主要研究仪器（MRI）奖支持获得高分辨率多通道电阻率成像系统，用于地下土壤勘探和工程、土壤科学和农业领域的高级土壤表征和参数化。在大规模的土壤基础设施和农业用地的背景下，了解大规模的底土特征是至关重要的。该仪器将能够对土壤进行大规模的定量水力和物理表征，影响几个工程和科学学科，并提供对底土行为的基本理解。它有可能为下一代工程带来先进的想法，这将服务于保持国家基础设施弹性的国家利益。它还将推动农业和土壤科学领域的进步，为开发提高农业产量的先进技术提供一种手段。该项目的教育和培训部分将促进使用该仪器进行动手实验，并使代表性不足的学生社区能够探索STEM职业。此次收购的高分辨率多通道电阻率成像系统将为关键土壤参数的原位量化提供一个全面的平台。该仪器将部署在各种地球基础设施和农业用地，以测量土壤含水量，基质吸力，电导率，土壤水分储存和土壤的盐度特性。该仪器还将使重要的土壤参数及其可变性与不同气候条件下土壤的地球物理特性（电阻率）相关联，并对关键土壤参数进行大规模地下测绘。这些测量和相关性将验证基础设施和农业用地的性能、效率和弹性的改善。该工具的独特能力将有助于实现下列领域的具体目标：1)大规模地下调查，以评估气候变化对地球基础设施的影响；2)非饱和土壤的特征；3)调查土壤水分动态和大规模基础设施质量控制；4)填埋场覆盖土壤储水能力快速评估；5)智能农业，用于作物生产力；6)土壤盐度评估，用于农业改良。总之，该仪器将促进跨工程、农业和土壤科学的多学科研究合作。本项目由仪器仪表重大研究计划（MRI）和民用、机械和制造创新部（CMMI）联合资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a High-Resolution Multichannel Electrical Resistivity Imaging System for sub-soil exploration and advanced soil characterization and parameterization in the field of engineering, soil science, and agriculture. In the context of sizeable earth infrastructures and agricultural lands, understanding large-scale sub-soil characteristics is critical. This instrument will enable the quantitative hydraulic and physical characterization of soil on a large-scale impacting several engineering and scientific disciplines and providing a foundational understanding of sub-soil behavior. It has the potential to bring advanced ideas to next-generation engineering that will serve the national interest in maintaining the resiliency of the nation’s infrastructures. It will also enable advancements the field of agriculture and soil science, providing a means of developing advanced techniques for greater agricultural yield. The educational and training components of the project will facilitate hands-on experiments using the instrument and enable the underrepresented student community to explore STEM careers. This acquisition of a High-Resolution Multichannel Electrical Resistivity Imaging System will provide a comprehensive platform for in-situ quantification of critical soil parameters. The instrument will be deployed in various earth infrastructures and agricultural lands to measure soil moisture content, matric suction, conductivity, soil water storage, and the salinity property of soil. The instrument will also enable correlating significant soil parameters and their variability with the geophysical property of soil (electrical resistivity) under varying climates, as well as large-scale sub-soil mapping of critical soil parameters. These measurements and correlations will validate the improved performance, efficiency, and resiliency of infrastructures and agricultural lands. The unique capabilities of the instrument will facilitate the achievement of specific goals in the following areas: 1) large-scale sub-surface investigation to evaluate the climatic change effect on earth infrastructure, 2) characterization of unsaturated soil, 3) investigating soil moisture dynamics and large-scale quality control of infrastructures, 4) rapid evaluation of soil water storage capacity for landfill covers, 5) smart agricultural for crop productivity, and 6) soil salinity appraisal in agricultural improvements. Together, this instrument will facilitate multi-disciplinary research collaborations across engineering, agriculture, and soil science.This project is jointly funded by the Major Instrumentation Research Program (MRI) and the division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.