Magnets in the development of soil degradation monitoring technologies

Published: 2023-06-09 14:19:27 • Daniel Gårdefelt

Monitoring the loss of soil quality is an important part of keeping our planet healthy. As we try to grow in a way that is sustainable, new technologies are coming out to help us understand and stop soil degradation. Magnets are used in one of these kinds of technologies. Let's look at how magnets are being used to change the way soil tracking is done.

Soil decline is a big problem for the environment that can be caused by things like erosion, compaction, acidification, and pollution. If we can find out about soil degradation quickly and accurately, we can stop it from getting worse and start fixing it. Magnetic tracking comes into play at this point.

Fine bits of iron oxides, which are basically magnetic minerals, make up a big part of soil. Changes in the dirt caused by wear and tear can change the amount, location, and shape of these magnetic minerals. By keeping an eye on these changes, we can learn a lot about the soil's health.

In magnetic soil monitoring, one of the most important factors is magnetic susceptibility. This is a measure of how much a material will become magnetized when a magnetic field is put on it. Magnetic susceptibility meters can be used to take measurements in the outdoors and give immediate information about the health of the soil.

The fact that magnetic tracking is sensitive is one of its most important benefits. Even small changes in the dirt that could indicate the start of deterioration can cause magnetic properties to change in a way that can be seen. This makes it possible to find problems early and take action, which could stop them from getting worse.

Magnetic monitoring is also non-destructive and can cover large areas fast. This makes it a cost-effective way to check the health of large areas of soil. It also adds to the usual ways of monitoring soil by giving more information that can help build a full picture of soil health.

Innovations keep getting better in this field. For example, scientists are making magnetic susceptibility meters that can be placed on drones to allow quick, large-scale soil monitoring from the air.

In conclusion, the use of magnets to track soil degradation shows how new technology can help solve important environmental problems. It's another example of how magnetism can be used in many different ways and has a lot of promise to help us learn more about the Earth and take better care of it.