Application of cosmic-ray neutron sensing to monitor soil water content in an alpine meadow ecosystem on the northern Tibetan Plateau

Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) is a new method for continuously monitoring mean soil water content (SWC) on a hectometer scale. To evaluate the application and accuracy of the method for SWC observation in an alpine meadow ecosystem (AME), we installed the CRNS in a flat meadow near the Naqu prefecture on the northern Tibetan Plateau. We collecting soil samples and applying the system by the oven-drying method. A weather station was also installed near the CRNS for monitoring basic meteorological variables and the soil temperature and water content at various depths. Three Em-50 instruments for monitoring SWC and soil temperature were buried in three sub-quadrats northwest, northeast and southeast of the CRNS at distances of 460, 370 and 373 m, respectively, to observe the variation of SWC at the various depths. The footprint of the CRNS for SWC observation in the meadow was about 580 m, and the mean measuring depth was about 31 cm according to the general calculation equations. The reference neutron flux for dry soil (N0) had a mean and coefficient of variation of 8686 and 3%, respectively, and remained substantially invariant throughout the measuring period. The five SWCs from the independent field samples almost passed through the SWC trend of the CRNS, the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.011 m3 m−3 for the CRNS and oven-drying method. The time series of SWC measured by the CRNS agreed well with the mean SWC series to a depth of 20 cm measured by the weather station. The trend of SWC measured by the Em-50s generally agreed with the trend of SWC measured by the CRNS, but some values and variations of SWC differed between the Em-50s and CRNS data. Because of the good agreement between the CRNS and independent field samples, we suspect that this disagreement is due to an insufficient representativeness of point observations and the distances of the points from the CRNS. The diurnal variation of hourly SWC from the CRNS was sinusoidal during a dry period, peaking at 11:00 and was minimum at 18:00 (Beijing time), with a range of 1%. Overall, the CRNS measured SWC in the AME with an acceptable accuracy, providing a scientific basis for the promotion and application of the CRNS in high, cold ecosystems.