| abstract |
A system for the in-situ detection of chemicals, including water, in soil comprises: a penetrometer for penetrating the soil, the penetrometer including interior and exterior surfaces, and a window for allowing infrared radiation to be transmitted between the interior and exterier surfaces of the penetrometer; a driver for driving the penetrometer into the soil to a plurality of different depths; a source for providing infrared radiation which passes through the window to irradiate the soil adjacent to the window; an infrared transmitting chalcogenide optical fiber; an optical system disposed within the penetrometer adjacent to the window for transmitting infrared radiation from the source through the window into the soil and for collecting infrared radiation reflected from the soil back through the window into a first end of the chalcogenide fiber; and a spectrometer coupled to a second end of the infrared transmitting chalcogenide optical fiber for receiving and analyzing the reflected infrared radiation passing through the chalcogenide optical fiber to obtain information on chemicals present at various depths of the soil through which the penetrometer passes. |