부산대학교 도서관

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2005.03.019 Byline: Luiz F. Pires, Osny O.S. Bacchi, Klaus Reichardt, Luis C. Timm Keywords: Computed tomography; Soil structure; Soil sampling; Soil density; [gamma]-rays Abstract: Several studies have shown that physical properties of a soil may vary significantly over relatively short distances. This variability is due to the nature of the soil, agricultural management practices and sampling procedures; this study is focused on the latter factor. [gamma]-Ray tomography was used as a tool to evaluate the quality of soil samples collected for estimating physical characteristics of the soil and to detect possible damage to the soil in the process of sampling. A first-generation tomograph with an.sup.241Am source and a 3a[sup.3]x3a[sup.3] NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal detector coupled to a photomultiplier tube was employed. The results show that computed tomography can provide an insight into the sample structure, which helps to select samples that are best suited for evaluation of physical characteristics of a soil. Author Affiliation: Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, C.P. 96, C.E.P. 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Article History: Received 18 August 2004; Revised 28 January 2005; Accepted 11 March 2005