We cordially invite you to submit abstracts to the session "From micro- to mesoscale, new analytical tools in soil system research" (Soil System Science 1.7 / Biogeoscience 2.23) which will be organized in the frame of the EGU 2012 in Vienna, Austria, 22 – 27 April 2012. With this session we wish to bring together scientists from different sub-disciplines who are working on any aspect of micro- to meter-scale biogeochemical processes with a special focus on soils. A special interest lays on the combination of different analytical techniques and the up-scaling by technical and statistical approaches.

From micro- to mesoscale, new analytical tools in soil system research
Soils are structurally heterogeneous across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Processes controlling the stabilization of soil organic matter or the sorption of nutrients and pollutants take place at submicron scales on mineral surfaces but also within soil aggregates. At the same time these micro-scale processes determine physical and chemical processes at larger scales up to the pedon and plot scale. In the last years, several new analytical techniques were established in soil science, reaching from the micro- to the meso-scale (e.g. AFM, Microtomography, MRI, NanoSIMS, TOF-SIMS, MALDI-TOF imaging, confocal Ramann microscopy, XANES, XPS, FTIR). These techniques enable the linkage between different spatial scales and can facilitate precise up- and downscaling between these different scales. They will significantly improve the understanding of many soil processes of different complexity, reaching from organo-mineral interactions studied in batch experiments up to hydrological phenomena and plant-soil interactions studied at the plot level.

We invite contributions with a special focus on novel analytical approaches covering the micrometer- up to the meter- scale reaching from compositional imaging to three dimensional techniques to resolve spatial and temporal phenomena in natural soil samples. We also cordially invite contributions on statistical and geostatistical studies about up- and downscaling of results to other scales.

The deadline for abstract submission is the 17th of January 2012. Those authors that need financial support should upload their abstract by the 15th of December 2011 and click on the right button/box during the submission process. Only a few candidates will get the fellowship, but it is worth applying for, as there is no other effort than submitting the abstract before 15th of December and clicking a button.

http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/sessionprogramme/SSS

By the 13th of February 2012 you will receive notice of acceptance and by the 12th of March 2012 you will receive the letter of schedule.

We are looking forward to you contribution and to see you in Vienna next year.

The organizers
Carsten W. Müller, Markus Steffens & Raphael Viscarra Rossel
 

The Call-for-Abstracts program of the Eurosoil 2012 (Bari, Italy, 02-06 July 2012) is now open.

On behalf of the Program Committee, we cordially invite you to submit abstracts to the session 4.1 Advanced Techniques and Modeling S4.1. Title: Application of proximal soil sensing (PSS) in soil science

The deadline for the submission of abstracts is October 30, 2011.

The description of the session can be found at: http://www.eurosoil2012.eu/d/34/4.Advanced_Techniques_and_Modeling/

S4.1. Title: Application of proximal soil sensing (PSS) in soil science
Convener: Castrignanò Annamaria – CRA – Italy
Co-Conveners: Colombo Claudio – University of Molise – Italy
Viscarra Rossel Raphael – CSIRO – Australia

Proximal Soil Sensing (PSS) has become a multidisciplinary area of study that aims to develop field-based techniques for collecting information on the soil from close by, or within, the soil. PSS involves the use of optical, geophysical, electrochemical, mathematical and statistical methods. PPS have many applications such as precision agriculture, soil fertility, soil contamination, archaeology, peri-urban design and high land-value applications, where there is a particular need for high spatial resolution information. The Symposium will be dedicated to soil sensor sampling, proximal soil sensor development and use, sensor calibrations, spatial prediction methods, applications of proximal soil sensing, and fine-resolution digital soil mapping.

We hope that we can stimulate your interest in Session S4.1 , and we look forward to receiving your contribution.

Kind regards,
Castrignanò Annamaria – CRA – Italy
Colombo Claudio – University of Molise – Italy
Viscarra Rossel Raphael – CSIRO – Australia

(Preliminary Announcement)

Dates: May 15-19, 2011

Venue: Leacock Building, McGill University, Downtown Montreal, Canada

Format: Similar to the First Global Workshop on High Resolution Digital Soil Sensing and Mapping

Focus: Proximal soil sensor development, equipment, applications, calibrations, signal processing, sensor data fusion, inference systems, (geo)statistical analyses.

Workshop Flyer

Dates: August 1-6, 2010

Venue: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

For more information www.19wcss.org.au

Published by Springer as part of the Progress in Soil Science series.

Viscarra Rossel, Raphael A.; McBratney, Alex; Minasny, Budiman (Eds.), 2010

This book reports on developments in Proximal Soil Sensing (PSS) and high resolution digital soil mapping. PSS has become a multidisciplinary area of study that aims to develop field-based techniques for collecting information on the soil from close by, or within, the soil. Amongst others, PSS involves the use of optical, geophysical, electrochemical, mathematical and statistical methods. This volume, suitable for undergraduate course material and postgraduate research, brings together ideas and examples from those developing and using proximal sensors and high resolution digital soil maps for applications such as precision agriculture, soil contamination, archaeology, peri-urban design and high land-value applications, where there is a particular need for high spatial resolution information. The book in particular covers soil sensor sampling, proximal soil sensor development and use, sensor calibrations, prediction methods for large data sets, applications of proximal soil sensing, and high-resolution digital soil mapping.