Soil monitoring system

A soil monitoring system, comprising:

• a shank configured to engage soil;
• an actuator coupled to the shank and configured to drive the shank to move upwardly and downwardly;
• at least one soil monitoring sensor coupled to a lateral side of the shank, wherein the at least one soil monitoring sensor is configured to output a plurality of sensor signals indicative of at least one soil property;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the actuator and to the at least one soil monitoring sensor, wherein the controller comprises a memory and a processor, and the controller is configured to:
• instruct the actuator to drive the shank to move upwardly and downwardly, such that the at least one soil monitoring sensor moves in a cyclical pattern through the soil as the shank is driven to move through the soil along a direction of travel;
• receive the plurality of sensor signals from the at least one soil monitoring sensor while the at least one soil monitoring sensor is at a respective plurality of depths within the soil;
• and
• determine a vertical profile of the at least one soil property based on the plurality of sensor signals.

A method for monitoring soil, comprising:

• instructing, via a controller comprising a memory and a processor, an actuator to drive a shank to move upwardly and downwardly, such that at least one soil monitoring sensor coupled to a lateral side of the shank moves in a cyclical pattern through soil as the shank is driven to move through the soil along a direction of travel;
• receiving, via the controller, a plurality of sensor signals from the at least one soil monitoring sensor while the at least one soil monitoring sensor is at a respective plurality of depths within the soil, wherein each sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals is indicative of at least one soil property;
• and
• determining, via the controller, a vertical profile of the at least one soil property based on the plurality of sensor signals.