Infiltration and evaporation from a point source water application

Abstract

Two separate field studies were conducted at the University of Arizona Campus Agricultural center in Tucson in the summer of 1985. The purpose of the first study was to use Infrared Theomometry, Micro Lysimeter, and Neutron Surface Meter Methods to estimate bare-soil water evaporation surrounding a point source emitter. The purpose of the second study was to estimate soil water infiltration from a point source using a theoretical model. In the model it is assumed that the water content ahead the front after infiltration commences is the same as the antecedent moisture content, and the moisture content behind the front is given by a quasi-linear solution that assumes an exponential relationship between the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and the pressure head. The results from the first study showed good agreement among methods as indicated by high correlations. Also the results for the second experiment indicated that the model can be used to estimate infiltration from a point source, but special attention should be given to emitter flow rate.