Scope: State-of-the-art in geoelectrical methods for soil-root studies.
Coverage:
- Theoretical background (lossy dielectrics, polarization mechanisms)
- Measured electrical properties of plant tissues (resistive & capacitive)
- Overview of ERT and EIT methods for root investigation
- Petrophysical transfer relations (Archie’s Law, vegetation impact)
- Need for explicit root modeling (limitations of mixing models)
Experimental Work:
- Electrical measurements on root segments (DC resistance, polarization signatures)
- Laboratory characterization of rapeseed root electrical properties
- Time-Domain and Spectral Induced Polarization (TDIP/SIP) experiments
Key Insight: Existing mixing models don’t capture physics correctly. You need explicit 3D representation of root architecture.
Publication: Vadose Zone Journal (2020) Thesis Chapter: 2 Laboratory Collaborations: Dr. Solomon Ehosioke (ULiège)