
%0 Journal Article
%A Hainsworth, JM 
%A Aylmore, LAG 
%T The use of computer assisted tomography to determine spatial distribution of soil water content
%J Soil Research
%D 1983/12/01
%V 21
%N 4
%P 435-443
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9830435
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/SR9830435 
%X To date no experimental technique has been capable of directly and repetitively measuring spatial distributions of soil water content in a non-destructive manner. The potential of computer assisted tomography (CAT) to overcome this problem has been examined in this paper. The results obtained from a commercially-produced X-ray CAT scanner and a conventional gamma scanner suggest that CAT scanning can be used to determine spatial changes in soil water content with adequate resolution for soil-plant studies. The technique can clearly be used to resolve spatial changes in soil water content with time. Application of the technique to water uptake by a single plant root shows that CAT scanning presents an extremely exciting possibility for studies of soil-plant water relations. 
