Biochar application has been reported to improve the physical, chemical, and hydrological properties of soil. However, the information about the size fraction composition of the applied biochar as a factor that may have an impact on the properties of soil‑biochar mixtures is often underappreciated. Our research shows how sunflower husk biochar (pyrolyzed at 650 °C) can modify the water retention characteristics of arable sandy soil depending on the biochar dose (up to 9.52 wt.%) and particle size (<50 µm, 50–100 µm, 100–250 µm). For comparison, we used soil samples mixed with biochar passed through 2 mm sieve and an unamended reference. The addition of sieved biochar to the soil caused a 30% increase in the available water content (AWC) in comparing to the soil without biochar. However, the most notable improvement (doubling the reference AWC value from 0.078 m3 m−3 to 0.157 m3 m−3) was observed at the lowest doses of biochar (0.95 and 2.24 wt.%) and for the finest size fractions (below 100 µm). The water retention effects on sandy soil are explained as the interplay between the dose, the size of biochar particles, and the porous properties of biochar fractions.
The neutron flux emitted from fusion devices induces many different nuclear reactions that can activate the vacuum chamber and irradiate operators. A c-spectrometer was mounted inside the Plasma Focus (PF) PF-1000, the world's largest plasma focus facility, after completing a campaign. Qualitative analysis was performed following a lengthy c-spectrum acquisition period. Instrumental neutron activation analysis identified the elemental composition of the vacuum chamber for use by a Monte Carlo N-Particle simulation. In this way, the radioactivity accumulated inside the PF-1000 as the function of time was calculated.
Biochar (charcoal made from biomass in the pyrolysis process) has found broad application in agriculture. It helps to improve both the physical and chemical properties of soil through decontamination of heavy metals and pesticides. This work examines the potential for biochar application to improve the radiological condition of soil. We investigated the activity concentration of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil samples collected from fields treated with various doses of biochar (in 1–100 Mg ha−1). In addition, we directly measured radon emission rate at the experimental fields. The analyses were performed using gamma spectrometry and an active method for radon emission using an AlphaGUARD instrument equipped with an accumulation box. The results of activity concentration assessments for six radionuclides, five natural and one anthropogenic, show that the only effect of biochar application into the soil is associated with the reduction of soil bulk density by this material. The radon emission rate increased by 6 mBq m−1 s−1, on average, depending on the biochar dose (from 1 to 100 Mg ha−1). Our results demonstrate that application of biochar into soil kept without vegetation had a limited influence on the radioactivity in the environment.
The current Polish Agricultural Drought Monitoring System (ADMS) adopted Climatic Water Balance (CWB) as the main indicator of crop losses caused by drought conditions. All meteorological data needed for CWB assessment are provided by the ground meteorological stations network. In 2018, the network consisted of 665 stations, among which in only 58 stations full weather parameters were registered. Therefore, only these stations offered a possibility to estimate the exact values of potential evapotranspiration, which is a component of the CWB algorithm. This limitation affects the quality of CWB raster maps, interpolated on the basis of the meteorological stations network for the entire country. However, the interpolation process itself may introduce errors; therefore, the adaptation of satellite data (that are spatially continuous) should be taken into account, even if the lack of data due to cloudiness remains a serious problem. In this paper, we involved the remote sensing data from MODIS instrument and considered the ability to integrate those data with values determined by using ground measurements. The paper presents results of comparisons for the CWB index assessed using ground station data and those obtained from potential evapotranspiration as the product from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing instrument. The comparisons of results were performed for specific points (locations of ground stations) and were expressed by differences in means values. Analysis of Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), Mann–Kendal trend test (Z-index), mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) for ten years’ series were evaluated and are presented. In addition, the basic spatial interpretation of results has been proposed. The correlation test revealed the r coefficient in the range from 0.06 to 0.68. The results show good trend agreement in time between two types of CWB with constantly higher values of this index, which is estimated using ground measurement data. In results for 34 (from 43 analyzed) stations the Mann–Kendal test provide the consistent trend, and only nine trends were inconsistent. Analyses revealed that the disagreement between the two considered indices (determined in different ways) increased significantly in the warmer period with a significant break point between R7 and R8 that falls at the end of May for each examined year. The value of MAE varied from 80 mm to 135 mm.
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