Welcome to the Global COSMOS initiative to bring to together users and researchers of the cosmic-ray neutron soil moisture observation system (COSMOS).
About COSMOS
COSMOS is a sensor system to measure water in soils, snow, and vegetation, and air. The main sensitivity is to soil water, though, such that the instrument is mainly used to monitor soil moisture changes to support agricultural management or weather forecasts.
In what area and depth can soil water be measured?
The COSMOS instrument provides integral, i.e., average values of soil water content in an area of tens of hectares and of depths down to tens of centimeters. It takes advantage of the neutrons penetrating deep into the soil and, after they went out again, mixing freely in air over wide ranges.
How does it work?
The COSMOS probe is a passive sensor that detects neutron passing through it. Neutrons are omnipresent on Earth and get created by the natural cosmic background radiation. Deep in the soil, cosmic ray interactions lead to the production of so-called epithermal neutrons. They get slowed down and eventually captured by hydrogen, which is usually part of water molecules. As a consequence, less water in the soil leads to more neutrons released back into the atmosphere, where they can be detected by the COSMOS station.
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