On-site soil porosity measurement methodology and apparatus

A portable apparatus for monitoring soil porosity at a field study site, the portable apparatus comprising:

• a first container sized and shaped to acquire, at the field study site, a soil sample;
• a second container sized to have a volume larger than the first container and operable to be pre-filled with a fluid medium to a pre-determined level such that the soil sample can be gradually added to the second container without causing soil clustering;
• a digital recording device coupled to the first and second containers and configured to automatically record a first measurement of a mass and a volume of the soil sample, a second measurement of a mass of the second container with the fluid medium pre-filled to the pre-determined level, and a third measurement of a mass of the second container with the soil sample fully immersed in the fluid medium;
• a control logic coupled to the digital recording device, wherein the control logic is configured to perform operations of:
• receiving recordings from the digital recording device;
• automatically calculating a porosity of the soil sample based on the first measurement, the second measurement, and the third measurement;
• and
• automatically providing, at the field study site, the porosity of the soil sample;
• and
• a display coupled to the control logic and configured to display the calculated porosity of the soil sample.