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

这一重大研究仪器(MRI)奖支持收购高分辨率多通道电阻率成像系统，用于地下勘探，以及工程、土壤科学和农业领域的先进土壤表征和参数化。在相当大的土壤基础设施和农业用地的背景下，了解大规模次土壤的特征至关重要。该仪器将能够大规模地对土壤进行定量的水力和物理表征，影响到几个工程和科学学科，并提供对子土壤行为的基础了解。它有可能为下一代工程带来先进的想法，这些想法将在维护国家基础设施的弹性方面服务于国家利益。它还将促进农业和土壤科学领域的进步，为提高农业产量提供一种开发先进技术的手段。该项目的教育和培训部分将促进使用该仪器的动手实验，并使未被充分代表的学生群体能够探索STEM职业。此次收购高分辨率多通道电阻率成像系统将为现场量化关键土壤参数提供一个全面的平台。该仪器将部署在各种土壤基础设施和农田中，以测量土壤水分、基质吸力、电导率、土壤储水量和土壤的盐分性质。该仪器还将使重要的土壤参数及其变异性与不同气候下土壤的地球物理性质(电阻率)相关联，并能够对关键土壤参数进行大规模的亚土壤制图。这些测量和关联将验证基础设施和农地的性能、效率和弹性的提高。该仪器的独特能力将有助于实现以下领域的具体目标：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基础设施的大规模质量控制；4)快速评估填埋场覆盖的土壤蓄水量；5)智能农业；以及6)农业改良中的土壤盐分评估。这个项目由重大仪器研究计划(MRI)和土木、机械和制造创新部门(CMMI)共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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.