• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.309-315
• /
• 2009

Maintenance of adequate soil water content during the period of crop growth is necessary to support optimum plant growth and yields. A better understanding of soil water movement for precision irrigation would allow efficient supply of water to crops, thereby resulting in minimization of water drainage and contamination of ground water. This research reports on the characterization of spatial and temporal variations in water contents through three different textured soils, such as loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand, when water is applied on the soil surface using an one-line drip irrigation system and the soils are dried after the irrigation stops, respectively. Water contents through each soil profile were continuously monitored using three Sentek probes, each consisting of three capacitance sensors at 10, 20, and 30cm depths. Spatial variability in water content for each soil type was strongly influenced by soil textural class. There were big differences in wetting pattern and the rate of downward movement between loam and sandy loam soils, showing that the loam soil had a wider wetting pattern and a slower rate of downward movement than did the sandy loam soil. The wetting pattern in loamy sand soil was not apparent due to a low variability in water content (< 10%) by a lower-water holding capacity as compared to those measured in the loam and sandy loam soils, implying that the rate of water drainage below a depth of 30cm was high. When soils were dried, there were highly exponential relationships between water content and time elapsed after irrigation stops ($r^2$${\geq}$0.98). It was estimated that equilibrium moisture contents for loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand soils would be 17.6%, 6.2%, and 4.2%, respectively.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.667-678
• /
• 2002

In this paper, a new radiating structure with a multi-layered two-dimensional metallic disk array was proposed for shaping the flat-topped element pattern. It is an infinite periodic planar array structure with metallic disks finitely stacked above the radiating circular waveguide apertures. The theoretical analysis was in detail performed using rigid full-wave analysis, and was based on modal representations for the fields in the partial regions of the array structure and for the currents on the metallic disks. The final system of linear algebraic equations was derived using the orthogonal property of vector wave functions, mode-matching method, boundary conditions and Galerkin's method, and also their unknown modal coefficients needed for calculation of the array characteristics were determined by Gauss elimination method. The application of the algorithm was demonstrated in an array design for shaping the flat-topped element patterns of $\pm$20$^{\circ}$ beam width in Ka-band. The optimal design parameters normalized by a wavelength for general applications are presented, which are obtained through optimization process on the basis of simulation and design experience. A Ka-band experimental breadboard with symmetric nineteen elements was fabricated to compare simulation results with experimental results. The metallic disks array structure stacked above the radiating circular waveguide apertures was realized using ion-beam deposition method on thin polymer films. It was shown that the calculated and measured element patterns of the breadboard were in very close agreement within the beam scanning range. The result analysis for side lobe and grating lobe was done, and also a blindness phenomenon was discussed, which may cause by multi-layered metallic disk structure at the broadside. Input VSWR of the breadboard was less than 1.14, and its gains measured at 29.0 GHz. 29.5 GHz and 30 GHz were 10.2 dB, 10.0 dB and 10.7 dB, respectively. The experimental and simulation results showed that the proposed multi-layered metallic disk array structure could shape the efficient flat-topped element pattern.