title: Gamma-ray-computed tomography to investigate compaction on sewage-sludge-treated soil.
abstract: Soil compaction is one of the fundamental parameters to evaluate the environmental impact of agricultural machinery traffic on soils. Compaction causes modifications on soil physical properties such as changes in porosity and structure that are related to soil water movement and gas exchange The objective of this work was to evaluate soil surface sealing after sewage-sludge application, and the influence of agricultural machinery traffic, through computed tomography. A first generation tomograph was used having a 137Cs source and a 3 in x 3 in NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal detector coupled to a photomultiplier tube. Image analysis and tomographic unit profiles could successfully be used for the detection of soil surface sealing and soil compaction due to machinery traffic associated to sewage-sludge application.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, USP, C.P. 96, C.E.P., SP 13.400-970 Piracicaba, Brazil. lfpires@cena.usp.br
authors.forename: Luiz F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Jose R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Macedo
authors.forename: Manoel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Osny O S
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Bacchi
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reichardt
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil