Water Flux in Moist Soil: Thermal Versus Suction Gradients

Cary, J.W. (1965) Water Flux in Moist Soil: Thermal Versus Suction Gradients. Soil Science. 100:168-175.

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Abstract

That thermal gradients cause moisture transport
in soil has been well known for at least 50
years. It is, however, surprising that so little attention
has been paid to this phenomenon, since
soil in its natural environment is continuously
subject to changing temperatures. In 1957 Philip
and de Vries (14) published a theoretical article
in which they attempted to reconcile the few
existing experimental data. Since then, alternative
approaches have been suggested by Derjaguin
and Melnikova (5), Matthes and Bowen
(12), and Taylor and Cary (16). The experimental
observations available are, however, insufficient
to make a fair test of any of the proposed
theories. As a general statement, about all
that can be said is: A thermal gradient in soil will
cause water to move from a warm to a cooler
area in both the liquid and vapor phases, and
the rate of transfer is greater than can be predicted
with Lick's law and the diffusion coefficient
for water vapor into air.

The experiment reported in this article was designed
to yield data defining the relative importance
of thermal gradients in transporting
soil moisture and to probe the mechanisms of
transfer.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0016
Subjects:	Soil Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:51
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2017 22:53
Item ID:	186
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/186