DIURNAL SOIL-WATER REGIME IN TILLED PLOW LAYER OF A WARM HUMID CLIMATE

The soil water content in 10 depth intervals in the surface 15 cm of soil was determined hourly for 9 days in June at 83 degree 25 prime W, 33 degree 52 prime N. Over the same period at 15-min intervals soil temperatures were measured at eight depths, windspeed and air temperatures at six elevations. atmospheric water vapor pressures at three elevations, incident solar and net radiation at one meter. From the microclimate data, flux of water vapor at the soil surface was calculated, which was then used to compute soil water flux at several depths by using soil water content data. The diurnal soil water content and soil water flux patterns are compared for a dry period before a rainfall event and afterward.